Urban Renewal

Tower Of Power | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (September 14, 1993)
• Original Release Date: 1975
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Warner Bros / Wea
• ASIN: B000002KFN
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Vinyl  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (16 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #72,429 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

No Description Available
No Track Information Available
Media Type: CD
Artist: TOWER OF POWER
Title: URBAN RENEWAL
Street Release Date: 09/14/1993
Domestic
Genre: SOUL/R & B

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Best Of TOP Right Here!, May 29, 2001

By 

musicmaniacfromNY (Long Island, New York) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Urban Renewal (Audio CD)

Yes Yes Yes. This album is in the top (no pun intended) 4 or 5 funkiest, absoulutely stunning albums ever made by TOP. David Bartlett, the drummer on this album is the best David Garibaldi fill-in, by far. As a matter of fact, at first, it took me a while to even realize that it wasn't Garibaldi himself. The songs here, this band, this line-up, was truly amazing, awe-inspiring, funky and REAL! Emilio Castillo's lead vocal on "It's Not The Crime" is the hippest. Anyone with ears should be blown away by the horn power and sheer funk of songs like "Only So Much Oil In The Ground", "Maybe It'll Rub Off", "It's Not The Crime", or "Give Me The Proof". The ballads "I Won't Leave Unless You Want Me To", and "Willing To Learn" are gorgeous, with vocalist Lenny Williams singing his heart out, as usual, as he does throughout the album. The song "It Can Never Be The Same" is my personal favorite. This song not only has one of Lenny William's most moving vocals ever, but, evolves into one of the most incredibly cool, funky, classic TOP grooves and outsection of any song they've ever done. All in all, there isn't one weak track here. Amazing album from an Amazing Band!

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars SOUL RENEWAL !!!, July 15, 2003

By 

B Sax Man "BarneySaxMan" (North Carolina) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Urban Renewal (Audio CD)

Clearly, one of the monster group's best efforts. Despite missing Garibaldi, the drumming was superb. And the interplay between bass (Prestia) and drums (Bartlett), so critical to the TOP sound, didn't miss a beat. In Lenny Williams' swan song with the group, the public was left with this masterpiece in his wake. The environmentally conscious opener "Only So Much Oil" brings this compilation alive, from the sizzling B-3 opening riffs by Chester Thompson, to Lenny Pickett's amazing sax interlude in the middle, to the backing vocals to Lenny's amazing range throughout the song and on through the entire album. I'd previously thought their best album up to this point was "Back To Oakland", which is still a classic among fans. But I think for quality of music and the band's maturity level and confort zone they were feeling, this album ranks as ONE of their best. I put this on when I want to feel the raw power of horns, vocals, bass, drums, funk, and energy. Even the ballads are strong. Even the mid-tempo filler is a definite winner in "It Can Never Be The Same". The inimitable guitar solo at the end is totally killer. All of it isn't necessarily dance music --- but it's definitely funky!! A total winner of an album and one of the best this fabulous group has ever done.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars My Favorite TOP CD ! ! !, March 25, 2007

By 

Eddie Landsberg "My 10th year as a reviewer !... (Tokyo, Japan) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Urban Renewal (Audio CD)

Urban Renewal is definitely my favorite TOP album... maybe not their most famous... but definitely the classic line-up at its peak.... tight, bumpin' and razor sharp from top to bottom... The year is 1975... Soul might have been going "disco-ey" elsewhere, but TOP was still a cutting edge soul powerhouse. As noted elsewhere, Garibaldi is absent on a few of the tracks... but nothing's missing from the groove... Pretty amazing considering that the Garibaldi/Prestia mix was and always has been a key element of a band best known as a "horn session" group... (actually, except for Prestia and Kupka, and for years Adams, other members of the horn section were constantly changing!) - - The truth though was that aside from their unique sound and arrangements, they weren't just a horn section band... and they didn't just have a tight rhythm section at the time of this recording (and on most of their other recordings.) On this album there's Lenny Williams, one of the greatest soul singers on the planet, whether he's singing funky or sweet soul and the virtually unimitable Chester Thompson on organ. Also, we mustn't forget Bruce Conte's sharp, punchy yet flexible rhythm guitar either - - and there are some unforgettable lyrics. - - The thing, however that holds this album together the most is TOP's ability to BUMP when it comes to funk, but do soul ballads in a BLISTERY way that only they could. - - Put simply, this album is mandatory music listening - - period... begs for repeated listens and gets better with age - - not just another great soul recording, but mandatory listening by a band that churned out hits, and also gained a reputation as "musician's musicians" at the same ime !