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19 of 20 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
A Glimpse of the genious to come...., February 6, 2000
Mr. Natural only reached #78 on the Billboard charts and comprises a significant transition period for the Bee Gees. With the help of veteran producer Arif Mardin, the Gibbs put together a smattering of different styled songs, ranging from rock to R&B to ballads. Their album before (A Kick In The Head...) was not released and the album afterwards (Main Course) skyrocketed up the charts with a #1 single and started the Bee Gees on the present course they enjoy now. Although none of the singles (Throw A Penny, Mr. Natural and Charade) made much of an impact, it still is a "which style do we go with guys?" album. However, it is one of the most diverse albums of the Bee Gees career. Oddly, the stations seemed to play "Dogs" now and then, even though it was not released as a single. "Give A Hand, Take A Hand" was an older song from 1969 that the Gibbs rerecorded after The Staple Singers did well with it. The song styles waver through soft, sensual ballads like "Charade" and then jump into a strange, heavily transitioned song "Throw A Penny" into a fast rock number called "Down The Road", which was a staple in their concerts. "Mr. Natural " comes closest to a true R&B song, but seems forced. "Lost In Your Love" is a trademark Bee Gees tear-jerker and "Voices" really takes advantage of Robin's great vocals. "Heavy Breathing" is a simple, but rocking song, but is then followed by an obligatory tear-jerking ballad "Had A Lot Of Love Last Night". What a variety! It's clear that the Gibbs maintained a grip on their older style while diving into a new style that would make the public give it a good, hard listen. Should you buy it? (as if you don't have 5 copies already). Yes, there are many memorable tracks. On this album you can really feel the 'hunger' the Gibbs had!
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9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
An Unmistakably Good Album, October 26, 2000
In early 1974,the Bee Gees were in a desperate situation.Their label RSO and it's U.S. distrubutor,the ATCO division of Atlantic,collectively rejected an album of theirs entitled "A Kick In The Head Is Worth Eight In The Pants".Stigwood and Atlantic/ATCO were collectively stating the Ultimatum:"Create an album that will reach the American audiences or else!"The brothers would eventually be paired with Atlantic staff producer Arif Mardin.To hype the album,a single entitled Mr. Natural would be released in February 1974.It climbed to #93.Likewise,the album of the same name would be released in July of the same year.Mr Natural would become their weakest selling album.It climbed to #178 in the U.S. only(no known U.K.placing of either single or album as of yet)before disappearing without a trace.The Bee Gees would avoid recording another album for a year as a result of this failure.
It's a shame that this album suffered the fate that it did.The Bee Gees second RSO offering was another helping of some very good and well written songs.The songs are originals of course.Once again,we're treated to some beautiful ballads(Charade,Give A Hand,Take A Hand,Lost In Your Love and Had A Lot of Love Last Night)The brothers also deliver some fusion drenched R&B songs you can actually dance to(Down The Road and Heavy Breathing),as well as some dancable basic R&B numbers(Dogs,Throw A Penny,Voices,title track and I Can't Let You Go).In context,the brothers were going in newer directions that they were not afraid to go into.It also shows that their roots are in R&B/Soul.Mr.Natural proves this in all of it's eleven songs.
Mr. Natural features some of their finest songwriting moments.Charade is perfect when you want to spend a nice romantic evening with your lover.Throw A Penny is a song about a man depending on stranger's kindness to help his children(I think if Marvin Gaye had the chance,he'd probably cover this song and it probably would've been a hit.It's the type of song he would sing.Marvin probably influenced it.)Give A Hand,Take A Hand continues this cycle by emphasizing while you should give of yourself,there's nothing wrong with taking it back even if you feel you don't need it.Dogs shows that our four legged best friends need freinds as much as humans do.Down The Road became part of their live staple and it was also a radio hit.These and the remainder of the songs on this album show the Bee Gees going in a very admirable change in artistic direction.
Arif Mardin delivers a very unique album of music to create a unique aural experience.He combines pop,fusion(i.e Rock and Jazz)and R&B/Soul to create a new Bee Gee trademark.In fact,Heavy Breathing contains some of the finest horn section arrangements that would rival Tower of Power and even bring tears to Chicago's eyes.On the commercial side,it was a huge disaster.However,on the artistic side it was a precursor of better things to come.
Overall,Mr.Natural is a very good album that no Bee Gees fan should be without.
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7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Diamond in the Rough, December 13, 2000
I would put this album in my top 5 Bee Gees favorites. Maybe it's because some of their other albums were overplayed (like Children of the World). But I can't stop listening to Mr. Natural. This is as much of a transition album as Main Course. And really for a Bee Gees fan, Main Course only makes sense if you know Mr. Natural. While this got panned by their record company, it is not because it doesn't have great music. I would argue that it just doesn't "fit" anywhere--R&B, country, rock. That's what I love about it.
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