This review and 100s more like it inside my e-Book
"…What's On The
Inside…"
Putting two Curtom LP
rarities from the golden period of Seventies Soul back into the digital
marketplace (and with 4 bonus tracks tagged on) smacks of a good idea to me.
THE NATURAL FOUR aren't as
well known as their Curtom Records label mate Curtis Mayfield for sure (I admit
that I’ve never actually seen a copy of their rare 1970 US debut album "Good
Vibes!" on ABC Records ABCS-706) - but these following two platters
contain wonderful Seventies Soul. And in this great sound quality - it's a
proper blast to hear them again. Here are all-natural details...
Released April 2010 in the UK
(reissued September 2010) – "Natural Four/Heaven Right Here On Earth"
by NATURAL FOUR on Soul Brother CD SBPJ 41 (Barcode 5013993674122) offers 2LPs
Remastered onto 1CD and plays out as follows (76:33 minutes):
1. Can This Be For Real [Side
1]
2. You Bring Out The Best In
Me
3. Try Love Again
4. You Can't Keep Running
Away
5. This Is What's Happening
Now [Side 2]
6. Love That Really Counts
7. Try To Smile
8. Love's Society
9. Things Will Be Better
Tomorrow
Tracks 1 to 9 are their second
album "Natural Four" issued May 1974 in the USA on Curtom CRS 8600
(No UK release) – peaked at No. 36 on the US R&B LP charts
10. Heaven Right Here On
Earth [Side 1]
11. Love's So Wonderful
12. Count On Me
13. Baby Come On
14. What Do You Do [Side 2]
15. Give This Love A Try
16. What's Happening Here
17. While You’re Away
Tracks 10 to 17 are their 2nd
album "Heaven Right Here On Earth" issued July 1975 in the USA on Curtom
CU 5004 and August 1975 in the UK on Curtom K 56142 – peaked at No. 49 on the
US R&B LP charts (didn’t chart UK)
BONUS TRACKS:
Track 18 is a rare USA-only
7" single issued in late 1973 on Curtom CR 1984 - it's a cover version of
Curtis Mayfield's "Eddie You Should Know Better". The original
Mayfield version is on his 1972 "Superfly" soundtrack album – here
it’s given a different arrangement here by The Natural Four.
Tracks 19, 20 and 21 are
"I Think I Found The Girl", "How Have You Been" and
"Get It Over With" - taken from their 3rd album
"Nightchaser" issued in 1976 in the USA on Curtom CU 5008 and April
1976 in the UK on Curtom K 56224
Charly reissued "Natural
Four" on CD in 1996 and Sequel reissued both albums in 2000 - but this is
the first time they've been paired together and had 4 bonus tracks thrown in
too (from their 3rd LP). But the big draw on these albums for Seventies Soul
and Funk fans is the songwriting genius and involvement of LeROY HUTSON - not
to mention the fact that original vinyl issues of these 2-Step monsters have
been costing punters huge amounts of money for years. The booklet is a fairly
basic 8-page colour affair with liner notes by Laurence Prangell and
musician/album credits. It doesn't say who remastered what and where but the
sound quality is superb - very clear, clean and good on the ear.
This is classy Soul - sort of
Philly International meets Cadet meets Brunswick - funky love songs one minute
("Try Love Again" - lyrics above) and social commentary tunes the
next ("Things Will Be Better Tomorrow"). When they slow it down on
"Can This Be Real" (a R&B chart hit Stateside in December 1973)
or the lovely "Heaven Right Here On Earth", you're reminded of The
Dells, The Chi-Lites, The Main Ingredient, Blue Magic and of course - LeRoy
Hutson solo stuff. There's even a Hall & Oates vibe going on in there too.
Genius choice goes to the
lone 45 cover of Curtis Mayfield's "Eddie You Should No Better"
sounding not unlike a more string-filled outtake - it's superb and a real rediscovery.
They've even included the better dancer tracks from the disco-fuelled 3rd album
which sounds like AWB with Ben E King in places, but you're likely to return to
the first two albums more because that's where the real quality is...
Very tasty indeed - another
excellent reissue from Soul Brother Records of the UK…
