Genre: soul
Rating: 3 stars ***
Title: Apples, Peaches, Pumpkin Pie
Company: Smash
Catalog: SRS
67055
Year: 1967
Country/State: Allentown, Pennsylvania
Grade (cover/record): VG+ / VG+
Comments: stereo pressing
Available: 2
Catalog ID: 6297
Price: $10.00
I have no idea why, but the title track to this overlooked album is one of my first musical memories ... I would have been about eight years old and I can clearly remember hearing it on Armed Forces Network radio ... Here I am some four decades later and I still love the track ...
Formed in Allentowm, Pennsylvania (not Philadelphia as most references have it), Jay & the Techniques came together in 1966. Singers Jay Proctor and George Lloyd had actually been singing together in various local pick up groups since 1960. Interested in broadening their musical horizons, the original lineup featured bassist Chuck Crowl, lead guitarist Dante Dancho, sax player Ronnie Goosley, drummer Karl Landis, and trumpeter John Walsh. Like most outfits, they cut their chops playing parties, dances, and small clubs, eventually signing a recording contract with Mercury's Smash subsidiary. Having enjoyed a string of successes signing and producing acts for Mercury and Smash, 1967 saw Jerry Ross turn his attention of Jay & the Techniques. Ross had previously tried to record Maurice Irby Jr.'s 'Apples, Peaches, Pumpkin Pie' with Bobby Hebb. Hebb passed on the song, so Ross convinced Jay & the Techniques to record it. The result was the band's 1967 debut proved a major pop and soul hit:
- 1967's 'Apples, Peaches, Pumpkin Pie' b/w 'Stronger Than Dirt ' (Smash catalog number S-2086) # 6 pop; # 8 R&B
As was standard marketing convention, Smash rushed the group back in the studio to record a supporting album - the cleverly-titled "Apples, Peaches, Pumpkin Pie". The resulting collection featured a decent mixture of pop and soul numbers, though much of the collection sounded like it had been recorded in a hurry. Unfortunately, as non-writers, the big problem for these guys was the fact they were totally dependent on producer Ross for material. Perhaps not a major surprise, the album suffered from a distinctive hit-or-miss feel. The title track, Contact'' and 'Victory !' where great, but elsewhere the material was largely forgettable with Ross' affection for MOR arrangements serving to dilute the 'band feel' in favor of a lamer MOR atmosphere. It wasn't hard to picture the band being sidelined during the recording sessions in favor of studio pros. Another major shortcoming came in the form of lead singers Lloyd and Proctor. Lloyd's contributions were far and few between so there wasn't a great deal to say about him. In contrast Proctor bounced from first-rate ('Contact and ''Hey Diddle Diddle') to sounding flat and largely uninterested - check out 'Keep the Ball Rollin'.
- Sporting a distinctive Motown edge and some chirpy horns, the up-tempo opener 'Contact' was easily one of the standout performances. Great hook that reminded me a bit of a good Marvin Gaye song ... rating: *** stars
- A breezy, mid-tempo number, 'Been So Long (Since I Loved You)' had a decent enough melody, but lost a bit of momentum when Proctor shifted into his falsetto. Once again the song benefited from a nice horn arrangement. rating: *** stars
- If you've never heard the title track (which seems unlikely), 'Apples, Peaches, Pumpkin Pie' might best be described as a soul version of bubblegum pop. Written by Maurice Irby Jr., the song's one of those efforts that was perfectly suited for top-40 radio. Sporting a glistening melody and an instantly catchy call and response format, it's easy to see why the song was such a big hit. Classic mid-1960s pop-soul. Apparently recorded for a 1999 PBS show (something called "Rock-n-Roll Graffiti"), YouTube has a surprisingly good Proctor solo performance of the song: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pUnxNquwFVs&feature=related rating: ***** stars
- 'The Power of Love' found the group being pushed into MOR-pop mode. The song was okay, but simply never really kicked into gear and served to underscore Proctor's vocal limitations. rating: ** stars
- Overlooking the needless female backing singers that occasionally threatened to drown Proctor out, 'Victory !' was one of the tougher performances and a personal favorite. rating: *** stars
- Mind you, nobody was about to mistake 'Ain't No Soul (Left In These Old Shoes)' for James Brown, though that was certainly seemed to be the inspiration. For what it was worth, these guys just didn't have the wherewithal to pull this one off. (Credit to Ronnie Goosley for turning in a nice sax solo ...) rating; ** stars
- Co-written by Harvey Fuqua and Johnny Bristol, 'Hey Diddle Diddle' offered up another slice of bubblegum-soul (with apples once again mentioned in the lyric). Not quite as catchy as the title track, it still came close to the former's appeal ... rating: **** stars
- I'm not sure about it, but think George Lloyd may have handled the lead on 'Lovin' For Money'. If so, at least on this one his voice was every bit as good as Proctor. One of the album's most conventional soul numbers, this one had a fantastic hook and another nice sax solo that would have made a great choice for a single. rating: **** stars
- Another stab at conventional soul with a Motown edge, 'Here We Go Again' stood as another album highlight. Shame this one as so short. rating: **** stars
- The album's strangest song, 'Stronger Than Dirt' literally sounded like a cleaning product commercial set to a mildly Stax-flavored arrangement. It was also one of the few songs that gave guitarist Dante Dancho a shot at the spotlight. rating: ** stars
- Opening up with a segment that sounded like it had been swiped from a Dave Porter-Isaac Hayes composition, 'Keep the Ball Rollin'' took an unexpected and unwelcome turn into MOR pop territory A bland song with an even blander arrangement, this one was pretty awful, perhaps explaining why it was tapped as the follow-on single. A big yech ... rating: ** stars
As mentioned, the album was tapped for a pair of follow-up singles:
- 1967's 'Keep the Ball Rollin'' b/w 'Here We Go Again'' (Smash catalog number S-2124) # 14 pop
Here's a YouTube clip showing the band lip synching the song on some television show:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SllgnsRK9Qo
- 1967's 'Hey Diddle Diddle' b/w 'If I Should Lose You' (Smash catalog number S-2185)
While most record labels would have gone out of their way to hide the fact, Elsewhere, kudos to producer Ross and Smash Records for having the courage to showcase the group's integrated line up - Lloyd and Proctor were African American the rest of the band white.
"Apples,
Peaches, Pumpkin Pie" track listing:
(side 1)
1.) Contact (Jerry Ross - Kenny Gamble) - 2:37
2.) Been So Long (Since I Loved You) (R. Clark - R. Bailey) - 2:04
3.) Apples, Peaches, Pumpkin Pie (Maurice Irby Jr.) - 2:24
4.) The Power of Love (Mort Shuman - Jerry Ross) - 3:03
5.) Victory ! (M. Barkan) - 2:24
6.) Ain't No Soul (Left In These Old Shoes) (Artie Resnick - Joey Levine) - 2:06
(side
2)
1.) Hey Diddle Diddle (Harvey Fuqua - Johnny Bristol) -
2:34
2.) Lovin' For Money (A. Wayne - Jerry Ross) - 3:01
3.) Here We Go Again (T. Lucas) - 2:37
4.) Stronger Than Dirt (B. Gale - F. Bauer) - 2:58
5.) Keep the Ball Rollin' (D. Randall - Sandy Linzer) - 3:04