Customer Reviews

Woman to Woman

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This is one of those great albums which sound ever-green. All the songs on the album are great. "Woman to Woman" is perhaps the best-known number on the album, but other memorable offerings include "It Ain't No Fun", "As Long As You Love Me," and "Passion". I truly believe that one has only to listen once to this album to become a Shirley Brown fan.

Concord Music Group, Inc 0888072331778 is part of the 2011/2012 newly launched "Stax Remasters" Series and breaks down as follows (64:21 minutes):

Tracks 1 to 10 are the album "Woman To Woman" - released October 1974 in the USA on Truth Records TRS-4206 (a Stax subsidiary label) and August 1975 in the UK on Stax Records STX 1031 (reissued on Stax STX 3005 in May 1978)

Track 11 is "Yes Sir Brother" - the non-album B-side to the 7" single of "Woman To Woman" on Truth TRA-3206 (August 1974) and Stax STXS 2019 in the UK (January 1975)
Tracks 12, 13 and 14 are "Ain't No Way", "Respect" and "Rock Steady" - all Previously Unreleased in the USA
Track 15 is a cover version of the Stevie Wonder classic "Signed, Sealed, Delivered (I'm Yours)" which is Previously Unreleased

The 12-page booklet has new liner notes by GAIL MITCHELL of Billboard Magazine (pages 4, 5 and 6) and then repeats the liner notes of LEE HILDEBRAND from the 2008 UK CD reissue immediately after (Pages 6 to 9). Like all the other releases in this series, you get the original artwork on the front & rear of the booklet (repeated beneath the see-through tray and on the CD itself). There are no pictures, which make it a little lacklustre in presentation - but the really big news is the SOUND...

I've reviewed the other titles in this new "Stax Remasters" series (see list below) and duly raved about the fabulous sound quality on all - especially after years of lacklustre reissues in jewel cases and repro digipaks. Well this is the same. 24-bit remastered from the first generation tapes at JOE TARANTINO Mastering in Berkeley, California - the audio quality is FANTASTIC. Those who've owned the "Complete Stax/Volt Soul Singles 1968-1971" Box Set (Volume 2 of 3) from 1993 - which has some of these tracks on it - will not know themselves when they hear what's been sonically achieved in 2011. And of course the new fidelity makes you reassess every song...

While the album is dominated (and overshadowed by) the 'your man done me wrong' tune "Woman To Woman" - there's hidden goodies on here well worth investigating. First up is the wonderful opener "It Ain't No Fun" - the first of two gems penned by fellow Stax label mate Frederick Knight (the other being "I Can't Give You Up"). The slow and soulful "It Ain't No Fun" (lyrics above) reached No. 32 on the R&B charts in May 1975 on Truth TRA-3223. It was actually the B-side of "I've Got To Go On Without You" - a far better song - but DJs preferred "It Ain't No Fun" probably because of its 'talking' end portion which aped the Number 1 hit "Woman To Woman". Both tracks are superb and "It Ain't No Fun" in particular features a powerhouse vocal from Shirley - a lot more hurting and sincere than the slightly cheesy "Woman To Woman". Knight also had a hand in writing the slinky "Between You And Me" which is done Aretha style - like a more mellow "Rock Steady". But the record belongs to the monster confessional Southern Soul of "Woman To Woman" where we get the lay of the land in the spoken intro "...Barbara, this is Shirley. You might not know who I am, but the reason I am calling you is because I was going through my man's pockets this morning, and I just happened to find your name and number..." And the sound quality on it is stunning. Great stuff.

The bonus 'previously unreleased in the USA' tracks (12, 13 and 14) turn out to be a sort of audition session found in a long lost tape box. Using the Stax house band on 3 songs more closely associated with Aretha Franklin, Shirley and her guys attack the tunes with gusto. Best among them is a frantically funky version of "Rock Steady" that is part JB's part The Meters part AWB - it's just brilliant and stretches out to an impressive five and a half minutes.

To sum up - the album contains several lost gems and the funky bonuses are a nice counter to the largely smoochy feel of the LP. This is a superlative value-for-money reissue highlighting unfairly forgotten Seventies Soul - and all of it topped-off with sound quality that trumps everything that's gone before.

Recommended.

PS: titles in the "STAX REMASTERS" series are (all reviewed):
1. McLemore Avenue - BOOKER T. & THE M.G.'s (1970)
2. Woman To Woman - SHIRLEY BROWN (1974)
3. Whatcha See Is Whatcha Get - THE DRAMATICS (1972)
4. Be Altitude: Respect Yourself - THE STAPLE SINGERS (1972)
5. Taylored In Silk - JOHNNIE TAYLOR (1973)
6. Do The Funky Chicken - RUFUS THOMAS (1969)

I have always heard songs from this cd when I was younger and I don't know why it took me so long to buy it. I just love this cd because you can just listen to it all the way through without skipping any of the songs at all.

This release by Shirley Brown is just a blast. Shirley is backed by Donald "Duck" Dunn and the Memphis Horns. There just isn't a lot of good music like this being released. I thoroughly loved listening to this release and was thrilled to see that there were 5 bonus tracks added to the original line up. If you like blues/soul singers who don't need booty shakers dancing along side to make them interesting, then you're in for a treat! Now I'm not saying that you won't be moving in your seat or dancing around the room while listening to it... only that you don't need an entourage of crap going on while you listen to it.

This is a recording to buy!

Soul singer Shirley Brown owns the somewhat dubious distinction of having the last major hit single for Stax. The title track from her 1975 debut album, issued on the Truth subsidiary, reached the top of the R&B chart in 1974, and just missed the pop Top 20. The album's lead off, "It Ain't No Fun," was issued as a follow-up, but with Stax sliding into bankruptcy, the release stalled further down the charts. Stax had survived the near-death of their 1967 break with Atlantic, and with the 1968 creation of an instant album catalog under the direction of Al Bell, the label had successfully expanded its roster with non-Memphis acts. But a shaky distribution deal with CBS eventually undermined the company's foundations.

Brown was born in West Memphis, but raised in Illinois, where her church singing provided a strong gospel background. Her musical education was advanced by an apprenticeship with blues guitarist Albert King, who also introduced her to Stax. Her debut was co-produced by Stax founder Jim Stewart and MG drummer Al Jackson Jr., and the songs collected loosely around the title hit's theme. Brown delivers performances that are infused with anguished strength and heartbreak that may or may not be repairable. The calm with which she delivers the hit single's spoken introduction suggests the protagonist will thrive, whether or not her relationship survives the infidelity at the song's core.

Brown is magnificent singer, with a voice that could have easily overshadowed a song's lyrics or melody. But when she lets loose with an impassioned wail or soars to a high note, it's to express and punctuate the song's emotion rather than demonstrates her range. Brown stays strong in the face of unrequited love, failing relationships, infidelity and unfulfilled desire. But it's not all romantic gloom, as she revels in the love of "Long as You Love Me," and celebrates her mate in "So Glad to Have You" and "Passion." Concord's 2011 reissue adds five bonus tracks, including covers of "Respect" and "Rock Steady" previously unreleased in the U.S., and a previously unreleased version of "Signed, Sealed, Delivered, I'm Yours" that stretches the Stevie Wonder title into seven minutes of simmering gospel soul. [©2011 hyperbolium dot com]

Back in 2005, one of my favorite artists by the name of Jaguar Wright re-made the song "Woman To Woman" on her album, Divorcing Neo 2 Marry Soul. I instantly fell in love with the song and I just had to hear the original. So I bought this the other day.

Before listening to the album straight through, I had to cheat and listen to her version. No disrespect to Ms. Wright, but... there's just no comparison! Shirley is an amazing soul singer and she delivers the lyrics with true skill, expression and class. Why is she not more well-known?! Going through the rest of the album, I loved it just as much as the title track. I especially enjoyed "It Ain't No Fun." When Shirley speaks in her songs, it really feels genuine, unscripted and exclusive. This is a great 70's soul album and I highly recommend it.

this is one of the most beautiful soul albums I've ever listened to... shirley's voice is incredible... every single song is a true pearl...

Shirley Brown can sing! I had never heard of her, but thought I would give her a try, since I really like 70's soul music, and I was definitely NOT disappointed. Ms. Brown sounds like a souped-up Aretha Franklin. If anything, her vocal sound is a bit cleaner and more "bel canto" than the great Aretha. Granted, the songs on this album can't compare to the Motown classics in the Franklin songbook, but this album is really nice.