Genre: soul
Rating: *** (3 stars)
Title: Saying Something
Company: Wand
Catalog: WDM-669
Year: 1965
Country/State: USA
Grade (cover/record): VG+/VG+
Comments: mono pressing; minor edge wear
Available: 1
GEMM catalog ID: 4155
Price: $40.00
Cost: $1.00
It's kind of odd that neither Maxine Brown or Chuck Jackson have much name recognition among music lovers today. There's at least one major music reference that even criminally refers to them as "second tier" performers ...
While better known for their solo careers, starting in the mid-1960s they recorded a string of entertaining, if modestly successful singles and albums. With both artists signed to Scepter's Wand subsidiary their debut collaboration was a cover of Chris Kinner's "Something You Got". Backed with "Baby Take Me" the single went top-10 soul and top-60 pop (Wand catalog number 181). That was more than enough for Wand to rush the pair back into the studio to record a supporting album.
What makes 1965's "Saying Something" interesting is the fact it's surprisingly impressive for what was clearly intended as a throwaway effort. Brown and Jackson both had great voices and while they didn't generate the same kind of excitement as say Marvin Gaye and his female partners, the overall results weren't half bad. With material from some first-rate writers, including a young Joshie Armstead, Nicholas Ashford and Valerie Simpson the set was quite diverse. Sure, the album's not perfect. Tracks such as "I Need You So" and "Please Don't Hurt Me" were a little too MOR for our personal tastes. On the other hand the pair were quite impressive on up tempo numbers such as the bluesy "Don't Go", "Can't Let You Out Of My Sight" and the great Motown-flavored "The Real Thing". Featuring five Ashford-Simpson-Armstead compositions, the flip side is simply wonderful ... (Elsewhere, always loved the whitebread album cover - wouldn't want to scare off white middle class record buyers ...)
"Something You Got" track listing:
(side 1)
1.) Something You Got (Chris Kenner) - 2:51
2.) I Need You So (Ivory Joe Hunter) - 2:28
3.) Please Don't Hurt Me (Bob Tobert - Demetriss Tapp) - 3:30
4.) 'Cause Were In Love (Joe Smith) - 2:22
5.) Don't Go (Valerie Simpson - Nicholas Ashford) - 2:48
(side 2)
1.) Can't Let You Out Of My Sight (Helen Miller - Roger Atkins) - 2:17
2.) I'm Satisfied (Valerie Simpson - Nicholas Ashford - Joshie Armstead) - 1:57
3.) Baby Take Me (Valerie Simpson - Nicholas Ashford - Joshie Armstead) - 2:08
4.) Never Had It So Good (Valerie Simpson - Nicholas Ashford - Joshie Armstead) - 2:32
5.) We Find Him Guilty (Valerie Simpson - Nicholas Ashford - Joshie Armstead) - 2:00
6.) The Real Thing (Valerie Simpson - Nicholas Ashford - Joshie Armstead) - 2:09