- Freddy Briggs (RIP 2006) -- vocals

- none known

Genre: soul

Rating: 3 stars ***

Title:  Defrost Me

Company: GSF

Catalog: GSF-S-1010
Year: 1973

Country/State: Cleveland, Ohio

Grade (cover/record): VG+/VG+

Comments: --

Available: 1

Catalog ID: 197

Price: $100.00

Hiding behind the Coldwater Stone name, 1973's "Defrost Me" was actually the work of the late Freddy Briggs.  Soul aficionados will recognize Briggs for his work as a songwriter and producer (plus the fact he was married to the late Kimberley Tolliver-nee-Briggs).

Having attracted some attention for his early-70s efforts with Chess and Stax, in 1972 Briggs and Tolliver set up Castro Productions with the apparent goal of starting a solo career for Freddy.  Over the next year Briggs recorded a host of material at sessions in Cleveland's Agency Sound Studio, Muscle Shoals, and Miami's Criteria Studios.  Released on Lloyd Price's small GSF label, the resulting album was largely a one man show with Briggs credited with producing, arranging, writing nine of the ten songs (wife Tolliver wrote 'Outside Love Affair'), and handling all of the lead vocals.  Musically this was prime early-'70s soul with Briggs voice reminding me a bit of a cross between Swamp Dogg, Clarence Carter, and Lloyd Price (who happened to serve as executive producer).  Briggs didn't have the sweetest voice you've ever heard and his delivery was occasionally a bit rough, but to my ears, that raggedness made for some of his old-school charm.  The album had a few too many ballads for my tastes, but overall was well worth looking for.

"Defrost Me" track listing:
(side 1)

1.) Jefferson Park   (Freddy Briggs) - 4:14   rating: *** stars

It started out sounding like one of those Curtis Mayfield urban soundtracks, but then 'Jefferson Park' took a strange twist, turning into one of the strangest 'love man' ballads with a plotline that will either make you smile, or cringe - boyfriend protects girlfriend from a gang of hoodlums and gets thrown in jail for ten years for stabbing one of them.    

2.) Your Lover, Me, Your Friend   (Freddy Briggs) - 3:40   rating: *** stars

'Your Lover, Me, Your Friend' found Briggs falling back on that soul staple - namely a tale of friendship and betrayal.  This was one of the tracks where Briggs quivering voice reminded me a bit of Swamp Dogg.   Nice ballad that had some commercial potential.  

3.) When He Breaks Your Heart   (Freddy Briggs) - 2:19  rating: **** stars

'When He Breaks Your Heart' found Briggs switching gears, turning in a steaming slice of funk.  One of the album's standout tracks, this one had everything necessary for major sales - propulsive melody; engaging vocal, and a killer hook.  This is probably the track GSF should have tapped as the single.  

4.) You're the One   (Freddy Briggs) - 2:32  rating: **** stars

My favorite song, 'You're the One' was a mid-tempo number with another glistening hook (the way the backing singers sing the title track was simply mesmerizing).  A other song with considerable commercial potential.   

5.) Outside Love Affair   (Dorothy Kim Briggs) - 2:32      rating: ** stars

The lone non-original (it was penned by wife Dorothy Kim Briggs),  'Outside Love Affair' was a typical big love-man ballad.  There wasn't anything wrong with the track; in fact Briggs turned in one of his best vocals on the song, but there wasn't anything particularly memorable about the performance.  You felt as if you'd heard this tune a dozen times before.   Of course that didn't stop GSF from tapping it as a single.  

1972's 'Outside Love Affair' b/w 'When He Breaks Your Heart' (GSF catalog number 6890)

(side 2)
1.) End of the World   (Freddy Briggs) - 3:55   rating: ** stars

'End of the World' started out as a heartfelt ballad with some interesting lyrics (chicken little ...'). weakened a bit by Briggs slightly unsteady vocals.  Still, give him credit for trying to power-thru the song.  

2.) The Shape You're About To Leave Me In   (Freddy Briggs) - 2:27  rating: **** stars

 I'm guessing the funky 'The Shape You're About To Leave Me In'  was one of the Muscle Shoals compositions.  Another one of the album's more commercial tunes, I find myself humming this one on a regular basis.  

3.) Biggest Mistake In the World   (Freddy Briggs) - 4:00   rating: **** stars

Sounding like he was singing with a head cold,  'Biggest Mistake In the World' was one of those tracks that took awhile to grow on you.  Starting as a rather bland ballad, the song picked up considerable energy and became increasingly funky as it cruised along.     

4.) Without the One You Love   (Freddy Briggs) - 2:55    rating: ** stars

Another track that sounded like a Muscle Shoals effort, 'Without the One You Love' was a pretty, slightly-Gospel tinged ballad.   Briggs sounded great on the track, but the real highlight was the anonymous guitar solo that powered the track.

5.) Diddy Wah Diddy   (Freddy Briggs) - 4:53   rating: *** stars

Not to be mistaken for the Manfred Mann song, 'Diddy Wah Diddy' was a Clarence Carter-styled heartbreak ballad - yeah the end-of-song tears were a bit much, but other than that mistake, the song was quite nice with a catchy title track hook.  Nice way to end the album.

Without support from GSF the album did little commercially and has become a collectable among soul fans.  Briggs continued to dabble in music, at least briefly paying his bills as a Cleveland taxi driver.  Sadly, living in Los Angeles, Briggs died in November 2006.  Having been in failing health for a decade, Tolliver died in 2007.

I have no idea whether it's a legitimate release, but there's at least one  Briggs retrospective on the market - 2011's "The Lost Soul of Freddy Briggs - Defrost Me" (Outta Sight catalog OSCD026).  Released by the British Outta Sight label, the 12 track compilation pulls together all ten tracks from the Coldwater Stone album, adding a pair of previously unreleased Briggs demos: ('Sound Off' and 'So Sorry').