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UK released August 2010 - this mid-price CD makes available two lesser-seen Seventies albums (second and fourth studio platters) by the New York Soul Group THE MAIN INGREDIENT.
First up is their March 1971 American LP "Tasteful Soul" with Lead Vocalist Donald McPherson who sadly passed only months after its release, and then "Bitter Sweet" from June 1972 with replacement Vocalist Cuba Gooding, Snr. (father to the Oscar-winning actor).
Their debut album "L.T.D." was issued early 1970 on RCA Victor LSP-4253 whilst the third studio LP "Black Seeds" appeared in September 1971 on RCA Victor LSP-4677. Those titles are remastered with one bonus single side on the 2015 CD compilation Real Gone Music RGM-0344 (Barcode 848064003441).
Back to what we have in hand - "Tasteful Soul" and "Bitter Sweet" feature their trademark lush vocals and arrangements sound – early Seventies Sophisticated Soul with a dash of Funk and R&B in other words.
SuperBird is a British label imprint of Cherry Red Records of the UK and their releases are thorough, tasteful and damn good value for money. Let’s get to the magic shoes...
"Tasteful Soul/Bitter Sweet" by THE MAIN INGREDIENT on SuperBird Records SBIRD 0027 CD (Barcode 5013929882720) is a Compilation that offers 2LPs Remastered onto 1CD and breaks down as follows (68:16 minutes):
1. I'm Better Off Without You [Side 1]
2. Magic Shoes
3. I'm So Proud
4. Somebody's Been Sleeping
5. Make It With You
6. Spinning Around (I Must Be Falling In Love) [Side 2]
7. Need Her Love (Mr. Bugler)
8. That's What Fate Will Do
9. Look At Me
10. Searching
Tracks 1 to 10 are their second studio album "Tasteful Soul", released March 1971 in the USA on RCA Victor LSP-4412
[Lead Singer: Donald McPherson]
11. Travelling [Side 1]
12. Where Are You
13. You've Got To Take It (If You Want It)
14. Everybody Plays The Fool
15. Whirl-Wind
16. Fly Baby Fly [Side 2]
17. I Can't See Me Without You
18. Where Do Broken Hearted Lovers Go?
19. Who Can I Turn To (When Nobody Needs Me)
20. No Tears In The End
Tracks 11 to 20 are their fourth album "Bitter Sweet", released June 1972 in the USA on RCA Victor LSP-4677
[Lead Singer: Cuba Gooding, Snr.]
Excepting the track "Brotherly Love" (which is on the "L.T.D." album from 1970), this release will also allow you to sequence the following five USA 45’s issued around the albums:
1. "Need Her Love (Mr. Bugler)" b/w "I'm Better Off Without You", released September 1970 on RCA Victor 74-0382
2. "I'm So Proud" b/w "Brotherly Love", released December 1970 on RCA Victor 74-0401
3. "Spinning Around (I Must Be Falling In Love)" b/w "Magic Shoes", released April 1971 on RCA Victor 74-0456
4. "Everybody Plays The Fool" b/w "Who Can I Turn To (When Nobody Needs Me)", released July 1972 on RCA Victor 74-0731
5. "You Got What It Takes (If You Want It)" b/w "Traveling", released January 1973 on RCA Victor 74-0856
The 8-page colour booklet has detailed liner notes by JERRY EWING on the history of the albums and the band itself. It’s mastered by ROGER LOMAS at Ro-Lo Studios and although the sound is good in places (upfront bass), the vocals often feel ever so slightly distorted at the top end - muffled and cluttered – almost like it’s been mastered off good vinyl and cleaned up. It doesn’t mention master tapes anywhere, so I don't know… The best way of putting is that it’s very good in places – it's just not great… and it's kind of sloppy too not to include the B-side of “I’m So Proud” as a bonus track. Edsel would have done this better…
Highlights include their lovely cover of "I'm So Proud" by The Impressions (a Curtis Mayfield tune) on the very accomplished "Tasteful Soul" album, while the equally impressive "Bitter Sweet" LP gave up the huge Number 2 R&B hit "Everybody Plays The Fool" (lyrics above). There are also covers of two David Gates/Bread tracks – "Make It With You" and "Look At Me" and a top ballad in "Who Can I Turn To (When Nobody Needs Me)" – a tune initially featured in the Sixties Broadway musical production of "The Roar Of The Grease Paint – The Smell Of The Crowd". Tony Bennett had a hit with the track in late 1964 – it's the sort of song that lends itself to soulful interpretation.
But for me there's two absolute nuggets on here that sum up The Main Ingredient's sound (a lush Delfonics, Chi-Lites, Dells type of vocal-group soft soul) – the slow and tasty "That's What Fate Will Do" and the fabulous "You've Got To Take It (If You Want It)" which was co-written with Ed Townsend of Marvin Gaye's "Let's Get It On" fame. Both are worth the price of admission alone.
The 1st album also benefited greatly from the beautiful vocals of Donald McPherson who tragically succumbed to Leukemia in July 1971 – only months after the album's release. His replacement was band collaborator Cuba Gooding, Snr (his son is Cuba Gooding, Jnr - the Oscar winning actor) – an equally impressive set of pipes.
For lovers of lush vocal-group soul – strings and brass galore – this is a very nice release indeed...
