Customer Reviews

Best of Flaming Ember

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Had high hopes for this CD. I hadn't heard most of these songs in twenty years. I always loved Mind ,Body and Soul from the time it came out in 1970. People I talk to about music, have never heard of Flaming Ember, or completely forgot about them. But folks, of a certain age would certainly remember a few of these songs if they heard them again.(Westbound #9)
The CD contains some great Motown like pop/soul cuts, similar to the Box Tops at times, or even the Jackson Five, if they had had a soul shouting lead singer with pipes like Jerry Plunk.
The big problem here is the sound quality of this CD. The packaging claims that the CD was remastered, but its the worst sounding disc I've ever heard. I've listened to field recordings of Folk music from the thirties that sound better than this CD.
What happened? - Who knows. My guess is they remastered most of these songs from Mono 45's or albums from the seventies.
Whatever the case its a damn shame because there are some great songs here if you could actually hear them through the mire.

The Flaming Embers (which is the name I remember from a 45rpm I used to own) are amazing. Not all of their 'hits' were really hits, but there are some on this album that should've been but didn't make it due to=A & R issues. All of these little tidbits are explained fully in the liner notes. Details, good and bad, that gave The Flaming Embers their note in musical history are set forth as honestly as the music that is imbedded on the CD. It is fresh, in a retro way, in that "Mind Body & Soul" is the only song that got major airplay, leaving the rest of the CD a major "awww" that some of these cuts didn't get their just desserts. The Flaming Embers are a very talented entity and I have listened to this CD several times since I've received it. Highly recommended to music connoiseurs, R&B aficianados, music history buffs and Detroiters who would remember the nicer things about their city in the 60's & 70's!

Lead singer and drummer Jerry Plunk demonstrates great vocal range and is joined by baseman Jim Bugnel and lead guitar player Joe Sladish who lay down one funkadelic track after another. I followed this band during the late 60s in the Detroit area and remember them packing in the crowds at places like the Last Chance Saloon.

High and energetic. He does holler. Dancin' fun but stapled. Deanish testimony. I liked it...not a lot...but I liked it.