Customer Reviews

Labelle

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4 star:		(1)
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The 1971 debut album from Labelle is a tour de force from start to finish. The trio melds r&b, rock, gospel, blues and pop into a fierce & bold statement of a new sound by a black female group . This CD contains some truly amazing songs & vocal performances by Labelle, singing in unison with power and the commitment of a new path and sound back in the competitive & creative music years of the early 70's.

A little background: The trio of Patti LaBelle, Sarah Dash & Nona Hendryx were known as Patti LaBelle & The Bluebelles in the 60's. By 1970 they were struggling, and British music producer/writer/manager Vicki Wickham suggested a new sound & name was neeeded for the new decade. They spent months in London rehearsing, writing & discovering a new , contemporary sound. Vicki got the manager of The Who, Kit Lambert involved as well, and together they produced this brave new album in New York in 1971. Labelle played a tour with The Who to introduce the group here in the US, as well as solo dates too.

This album is a classic & one of their strongest, with outside material and self-penned songs by all 3 members. Labelle sings hard, strong & powerful, and takes us all for a thrill ride with this album. MORNING MUCH BETTER is a slow funk/rocker that just build & builds with Patti giving one of her gutsiest vocals with powerful refrains by Sarah & Nona. A killer performance that starts off the history of Labelle perfectly. SHADES OF DIFFERENCE is the only song co-written by Patti & Nona that the group ever did, and lyrically tells of historic racial stereotypes like slaves, prostitutes & masters and is a stellar song & performance . TIME was written by Patti & husband Armstead Edwards & has a funky bass line that just propels the song and Patti along in one of her most blues & rock oriented vocals ever. Wild stuff, not least of which is their version of The Rolling Stones' WILD HORSES , with Patti singing were gonna ride, ride, ride on that totally casts this country/rock song into a hard r&b/rock mode that is totally unique. TIME AND LOVE is amazing & even has vocal background assistment from friends The Sweet Inspirations & Judy Clay that make it even more gospel-ish. And don't forget Sarah Dash's BABY'S OUT OF SIGHT - a torrid performance from Patti, Sarah & Nona all about the blues a woman has when her man is gone. The closer WHEN THE SUN COMES SHINING THROUGH [ THE LADDER ] written by Michael D'abo from Manfred Mann is a concise tight-knit arrangement of a beautiful socially aware message song that would have made a great single & possibly the most commercially sounding song on here. These are just some of the highlights on this amazing album . For Labelle to combine r&b with rock was revolutionary, and this album has some of the best songs & performances that they ever created. Maybe it was too ahead of it's time, but back then, it was a world where there was musical creativity and genuis .

One more thing: Labelle is backed up by some truly amazing musicians on this album. The musicians really gel with Labelle, & there are amazing guitar solos, bass lines, etc. that make it all cohesive and support the voices & messages that Labelle gave the world. A stellar, mighty debut by a female vocal group that really could not be outdone or outsung.

Patti LaBelle once said "The older I get, the stronger I get. My voice gets better with age." She was right. The Patti on this album is young, spry, but still filled with the "Bluebelle" mentality. The group is excellent in their harmonies. Patti's interpretations of the lyrics are wonderful. "Time and Love," "Wild Horses," and "Morning Much Better" showcase the pure funk and soulfullness of the group. I gave this album a 4, because on it's own, it is great. If you have never heard a LaBelle album, then you should start with this on and go to each in chronological order. When compared to later albums, this would get a 3 or maybe a two; but on it's own, it is a masterpeice. It does just what it says, "LABELLE," it introduces you to Patti, Nona, and Sarah. It wets the appetite for more.

In the middle of their transition from girl group to space women, LaBelle recorded an album that captures them as they began the journey to find their voice. While they cover material by Carole King, Laura Nyro and The Stones with an incredible amount of power, it was the lyrics that they composed together that gave us a glimpse into what the future would hold for LaBelle. The band is TIGHT, the vocals are unmatchable and most importantly, the spirit of this recording demonstrates the seeds of strength that would carry this group to the forefront. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED (along with the companion album "Moonshadow").

The LABELLE 2000 CD release by Wounded Bird Records is a delightful homage to the night-birds that brought us the ultra-funky song "Lady Marmalade."

Self-titled debut album of the re-invented group of the Blue-Belles (thanks in part to producer Vicki Wickham)--consisting of Patti Labelle, Nona Hendryx and Sarah Dash--LABELLE is a collection of original and cover songs that were hip and funky and explosive; a perfect reflection of the year (1971) it was released.

From the funky driving beat of "Morning Much Better" to the gospel re-working of Carole King's "You've Got A Friend" and Laura Nyro's "Time & Love" (which Labelle also sang backup on the Nyro's Gonna Take a Miracle (Exp) album), one listen and you know that Labelle was a different monster all together. These ladies weren't taking no crap from anyone and were standing up to be counted!

The original composition by Patti Labelle and Nona Hendryx "Shades Of Difference," with its righteous anger and the line "Hey, we don't care if you fade away. Say yay, we're gonna save the world today..." spoke about race relations and labels and how they were going to rise above it.

Wounded Bird Records has done a good job remastering the album but there are no liner notes other than song info. Most Labelle fans might already have this CD. But if you're unfamiliar with Labelle, aside from the hit single "Lady Marmalade" that came out four years after this album, I suggest getting the CD Something Silver. That's an excellent intro to Labelle and has many of the songs on this album as well as "Lady Marmalade."

This 1971 debut album under Warner records spearheaded by Vicki Wickham (Dusty Springfields manager), is nothing but short of genius!! It gives you soul, funk, gospel, rock and then a little bit more.

It opens with the strong tight harmonies of "Morning Much Better," and although Patty is clearly the lead, Sarah and Nona provide the necessary balance to make the song sound as if it were being sung by one person. They bring a new apporach to singing Carol King's "You've Got A Friend." "Baby's Out of Sight" written by Sarah Dash and Armstead Edwards is a cool, laid back number that again exemplifies the tight harmonies that Labelle was known for. Laura Nyro's "Time and Love," is one of my personal favorites with The Sweet Inspiration sand Judy Clay on backgrounds giving it a gosple like sound that simply blows you away as the dynamics build to a climax that is unforgettable. "Too Many Days" written by Nona Hendryx is funky and highlights the group's ability to sing anything well. "Running Out Of Fools & If You Gotta Make a Fool Of Somebody" is jam packed with emotions that only a group like Labelle could deliver.

"Shades Of Difference" written by Patti Labelle and Nona Hendryx is a song that talks about race, class and gender. It is a mind blowing song whose lyrics are well worth listening to over and over again. "Heart Be Still" is the time of song that takes you to church with each member having an opportunity to show their vocals.

"Wild Horses" written by Keith Richards and Mick Jager is raw and funky and remains one of my favorites. The tempo slows down a bit with "Time" was written by Patti Labelle and husband Armstead Edwards, giving each member of the group to compliment each other vocally. The CD closes with "When The Sun Comes Shining Through (The Ladder), which in my opinion could have had more comercial success, but the record industry is never predictable.

This album is excellent from beginning to end. Every song makes a statement. And although some of the songs may not be as familiar as their later hit "Lady Marmalade," they are equal if not superior in terms of lyrics, music and emotion. This is a must have for "Labelle" fans and collectors, in addition to being a great inroduction to those who are not as familiar with Labelle pre "Lady Marmalade" and want to know how the group's sound developed over time.
This album is an example of how music should be sung; it leaves you wanting more!!!

It is great to see this classic Labelle album re-issued on CD. Every track on this album is a hit! The opening track, "Morning Much Better" is guaranteed to make you dance - talk about high energy! Labelle also offers some great covers of classics including Carole King's "You've Got A Friend", Laura Nyro's "Time and Love" and Rolling Stones' "Wild Horses". These covers in addition to the original songs complete this blockbuster album. Back in 1971, this album marked Labelle's transition from the "Blubelles" girl group to the funk, rock and soul of "Labelle" and the formula works! Patti, Nona and Sarah also composed several tracks including the powerful and socially aware "Shades of Difference" which is just as relevant today as it was 38 years ago. This is another must-have for every Labelle fan. I give it full marks.

these are some old tunes from patti and labelle and you should definately check this one out and while your at it please get patti's new cd "when a woman loves" it is also being released on october 24th she has a remake of tayor daynes "love will lead you back to my heart" that is off the hook one luv patti fans