The Isley Brothers' time in Motown was short and not very sweet. Depending on who you ask, "Soul On The Rocks," their follow up to "This Old Heart Of Mine," was either a disaster or a lost classic. I think it is the latter. They never really fit into the Motown scheme of things, but "Soul On The Rocks" actually rocks like few records in the Motown catalogue rock. Tracks like "Save Me From This Misery" and "Why When The Love Is Gone" are badass. They even turn Paul Revere & The Raiders' "Good Thing" into a soul stomper, though it is credited to Leroy Kirkland on the Isleys record, not Paul Revere and Terry Melcher. It's the same song, I swear!
Don't sleep on this record because of its reputation. Trust me because of mine.
(Okay, I don’t know what that means, just listen to it.)
12 comments:
I can hear traces of Motown in the first two tracks, but clearly, the Isleys were not going to fit the Motown assembly line style of record making.
Good Thing is an interesting take. Maybe since they called it Good Things, they felt they could change the writing credits!
You're assuming I've already listened to the undisputed great albums of the Isley Brothers. Should I start with This Old Heart Of Mine before diving into Soul On The Rocks?
Michael Giltz,
This Old Heart Of Mine > Soul On The Rocks > Get Into Something covers three years and all three are worth it. Then, it exploded. I think every record from "Brother, Brother, Brother" through "Showdown" is worth your time.
love Ernie I's solo record from the 80's
I hear disaster, not a sleeper. I didn't last past the first verse in any of them.
Well they're no Jockstrap!
Jeez.
I LOVE This Old Heart of Mine (I mean the single). But I had never heard anything from Soul on the Rocks, aside from Behind a Painted Smile. I have to say that Why When The Love Is Gone is a great one. I don't really know the story of the Isleys' tenure on Motown, but I can only imagine how hard it must have been to get promotion resources, competing against the Supremes, Marvin Gaye, Stevie Wonder, the Tempts and the Tops and all the other homegrown Motown stars.
Marc
re covers, my favorite covers album was Girl in a Coma's (RIP) "Adventures in Coverland." it "covers" a lot of ground, does some reimagining and has my favorite version of Bowie's As the World Falls Down https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S7ju56qtO2k
"Living in the Past ... Listening To Covers"
Is that the next Sally John Ride album?
Have a Rawkin' Thanksgiving Sal!
I bought this on your recommendation a while back and it did not disappoint. Everybody, trust Sal on this.
I'm sorry, but as a fan of both Motown, and The Isley's it just sounds like a bad fit to me.
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