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Well along comes Soul Music Records of the UK with a spangly new remaster in 2014 issued at mid-price - and a proper corker it is too. Here are the Dancin' Diva details…
UK released August 2014 – "Pressure Cookin'" by LABELLE on Soul Music Records SMCR 5123 (Barcode 5013929082335) is a straightforward Remaster and Transfer of the 9-track 1973 LP and plays out as follows (40:45 minutes):
1. Pressure Cookin' [Side 1]
2. Medley: (a) Something In The Air (b) The Revolution Will Not Be Televised
3. Sunshine Woke Me Up This Morning
4. Can I Speak To You Before You Go To Hollywood?
5. Mr. Music Man [Side 2]
6. Goin' On Holiday
7. Let Me See You In The Light
8. Open Up Your Heart
9. Last Dance
Tracks 1 to 9 are the LP "Pressure Cookin'" – released August 1973 in the USA and UK on RCA Records APL1-0205 (reissued UK May 1975 on RCA LSA 3223).
The 16-page booklet has superlative liner notes by A. SCOTT GALLOWAY peppered with pictures of the three ladies dressed in distinctive stage gear, repros of the American Dynaflex LP labels and detailed recording info. But the big news is a stunning ALAN WILSON Remaster – gorgeous clarity on all the tracks. This CD sounds 'so' good – exemplary stuff.
Shortening their name from Patti Labelle and The Blue Belles in 1971 to LABELLE (Patti Labelle, Nona Hendryx and Sarah Dash) - and hot from their success and prominent duel-credit placing on Laura Nyro's LP gem "Gonna Take A Miracle" of that same year (see separate review) – Labelle found themselves opening for such acts as The Who and gaining appreciative audiences everywhere they went. When they signed to RCA Records for this lone album with the label hopes were high – but as history tells us Radio didn't get it and the album didn't chart despite efforts by all involved. That's not to say there isn't Soulful Funky magic here…there really is…
It opens with a frantic "Pressure Cookin'" showcasing the amazingly funky backing band MAXAYN (named after singer Maxayn Lewis) and is followed by a highlight – a double-whammy of contemporary cover versions. "Something In the Air" was a Number British single for Thunderclap Newman (on Track Records) and Patti cleverly segues it into Gil Scott-Heron's legendary social-comment song "The Revolution Will Not Be Television". It meshes the upbeat feel of Thunderclap Newman's come together message with the street realism of Heron's razor-sharp observations on poor America.
The Nona Hendryx stunner "Sunshine (Woke Me Up This Morning)" is fabulous Funk Soul and should have been the leadoff single – but that privilege went to the more catchy "Open Up Your Heart" - US issued May 1973 on RCA 74-0965 backed with "Goin' On A Holiday" (lyrics from "Open Up Your Heart" title this review). Another Hendryx nugget is the lovely and pleading "(Can I Speak To You Before You Go To) Hollywood" where Patti holds back on the screaming funk and delivers a beautifully measured and hurting performance. When you get to the equally pretty "Last Dance" – you get the feeling you're in the presence of a lost classic.
Chart success would elude them until the "Nightbirds" LP in 1975 (on the back of the irrepressible kitchy-kitchy-ya-ya "Lady Marmalade" single on Epic). But this is where to start your LABELLE rediscovery. A fantastic reissue – and kudos to all involved for getting this great music out there again…
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