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Many Stax releases in the label's final years were dull soul. But by the standards of the era, Phases of Reality was an above-average affair that was more diverse than many such efforts of the time. The three songs Bell co-wrote with guitarist Horace Shipp Jr. were socially conscious tunes in a different bag than the straightforward, romantic odes Bell usually purveyed. "Save Us" is indebted to Marvin Gaye's What's Going On era, with a Philly-influenced funk-soul groove, and "Fifty Dollar Habit" is, of course, about drug use. Elsewhere Bell sticks mostly to love songs, self-penned and otherwise, getting into a pre-disco lope on the title track, a style of sweet soul balladry on "What I Don't Know Won't Hurt Me" and "If You Really Love Him," and some light reggae-influenced rhythms on "Lonely for Your Love." [This CD reissue combines Bell's final two Stax albums, 1973's Phases of Reality and Relating, in one disc.]
© Richie Unterberger /TiVo
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Clayton Ivey, Keyboards, AssociatedPerformer - Eddie Hinton, Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Jimmy Johnson, Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Roger Hawkins, Drums, AssociatedPerformer - The Sweet Inspirations, Additional Vocals, AssociatedPerformer - David Hood, Bass Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - BARRY BECKETT, Keyboards, AssociatedPerformer - The Memphis Horns, Brass Band, AssociatedPerformer - Christopher Bell, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Jerry Masters, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Steve Melton, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - William Bell, Producer, Vocals, Recording Producer, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Henry Bush, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Dave Purple, Recording Engineer, Remix Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Horace Shipp Jr., ComposerLyricist - Kirk Felton, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - The Memphis Symphony Orchestra, Chamber Orchestra, AssociatedPerformer - Ralph Rhodes, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel
℗ 2023 Stax Records
Clayton Ivey, Keyboards, AssociatedPerformer - Eddie Hinton, Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Jimmy Johnson, Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Roger Hawkins, Drums, AssociatedPerformer - The Sweet Inspirations, Additional Vocals, AssociatedPerformer - David Hood, Bass Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - BARRY BECKETT, Keyboards, AssociatedPerformer - The Memphis Horns, Brass Band, AssociatedPerformer - Christopher Bell, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Jerry Masters, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Steve Melton, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - William Bell, Producer, Vocals, Recording Producer, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Henry Bush, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Harold Beane, ComposerLyricist - Dave Purple, Recording Engineer, Remix Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Kirk Felton, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - The Memphis Symphony Orchestra, Chamber Orchestra, AssociatedPerformer - Ralph Rhodes, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel
℗ 1972 Stax Records, a division of Concord Music Group, Inc.
Clayton Ivey, Keyboards, AssociatedPerformer - Eddie Hinton, Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Jimmy Johnson, Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Roger Hawkins, Drums, AssociatedPerformer - The Sweet Inspirations, Additional Vocals, AssociatedPerformer - David Hood, Bass Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - BARRY BECKETT, Keyboards, AssociatedPerformer - The Memphis Horns, Brass Band, AssociatedPerformer - Christopher Bell, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Jerry Masters, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Steve Melton, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - William Bell, Producer, Vocals, Recording Producer, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Henry Bush, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Dave Purple, Recording Engineer, Remix Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Kirk Felton, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - The Memphis Symphony Orchestra, Chamber Orchestra, AssociatedPerformer - Ralph Rhodes, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Horace Shipp, ComposerLyricist
℗ 1972 Stax Records, a division of Concord Music Group, Inc.
Clayton Ivey, Keyboards, AssociatedPerformer - Eddie Hinton, Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Jimmy Johnson, Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Roger Hawkins, Drums, AssociatedPerformer - The Sweet Inspirations, Additional Vocals, AssociatedPerformer - David Hood, Bass Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - BARRY BECKETT, Keyboards, AssociatedPerformer - The Memphis Horns, Brass Band, AssociatedPerformer - Christopher Bell, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Jerry Masters, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Steve Melton, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - George Soule, ComposerLyricist - William Bell, Producer, Vocals, Recording Producer, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Steve Wiggins, ComposerLyricist - Henry Bush, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Dave Purple, Recording Engineer, Remix Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Kirk Felton, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - The Memphis Symphony Orchestra, Chamber Orchestra, AssociatedPerformer - Ralph Rhodes, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel
℗ 1972 Stax Records, a division of Concord Music Group, Inc.
Clayton Ivey, Keyboards, AssociatedPerformer - Eddie Hinton, Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Jimmy Johnson, Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Roger Hawkins, Drums, AssociatedPerformer - The Sweet Inspirations, Additional Vocals, AssociatedPerformer - David Hood, Bass Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - BARRY BECKETT, Keyboards, AssociatedPerformer - The Memphis Horns, Brass Band, AssociatedPerformer - Christopher Bell, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Composer Unknown, ComposerLyricist - Jerry Masters, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Steve Melton, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - William Bell, Producer, Vocals, Recording Producer, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Henry Bush, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Dave Purple, Recording Engineer, Remix Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Kirk Felton, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - The Memphis Symphony Orchestra, Chamber Orchestra, AssociatedPerformer - Ralph Rhodes, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel
℗ 1972 Stax Records, a division of Concord Music Group, Inc.
Clayton Ivey, Keyboards, AssociatedPerformer - Eddie Hinton, Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Jimmy Johnson, Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Roger Hawkins, Drums, AssociatedPerformer - The Sweet Inspirations, Additional Vocals, AssociatedPerformer - David Hood, Bass Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - BARRY BECKETT, Keyboards, AssociatedPerformer - The Memphis Horns, Brass Band, AssociatedPerformer - Christopher Bell, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Jerry Masters, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Steve Melton, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - George Soule, ComposerLyricist - Terry Woodford, ComposerLyricist - William Bell, Producer, Vocals, Recording Producer, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Henry Bush, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Dave Purple, Recording Engineer, Remix Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Kirk Felton, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - The Memphis Symphony Orchestra, Chamber Orchestra, AssociatedPerformer - Ralph Rhodes, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel
℗ 1972 Stax Records, a division of Concord Music Group, Inc.
Clayton Ivey, Keyboards, AssociatedPerformer - Eddie Hinton, Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Jimmy Johnson, Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Roger Hawkins, Drums, AssociatedPerformer - The Sweet Inspirations, Additional Vocals, AssociatedPerformer - David Hood, Bass Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - BARRY BECKETT, Keyboards, AssociatedPerformer - The Memphis Horns, Brass Band, AssociatedPerformer - Christopher Bell, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Jerry Masters, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Steve Melton, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - William Bell, Producer, Vocals, Recording Producer, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Henry Bush, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Dave Purple, Recording Engineer, Remix Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Kirk Felton, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - The Memphis Symphony Orchestra, Chamber Orchestra, AssociatedPerformer - Ralph Rhodes, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel
℗ 1972 Stax Records, a division of Concord Music Group, Inc.
Clayton Ivey, Keyboards, AssociatedPerformer - Eddie Hinton, Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Jimmy Johnson, Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Roger Hawkins, Drums, AssociatedPerformer - The Sweet Inspirations, Additional Vocals, AssociatedPerformer - David Hood, Bass Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - BARRY BECKETT, Keyboards, AssociatedPerformer - The Memphis Horns, Brass Band, AssociatedPerformer - Christopher Bell, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Jerry Masters, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Steve Melton, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - William Bell, Producer, Vocals, Recording Producer, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Henry Bush, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Dave Purple, Recording Engineer, Remix Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Kirk Felton, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - The Memphis Symphony Orchestra, Chamber Orchestra, AssociatedPerformer - Ralph Rhodes, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Horace Shipp, ComposerLyricist
℗ 1972 Stax Records, a division of Concord Music Group, Inc.
Album review
Many Stax releases in the label's final years were dull soul. But by the standards of the era, Phases of Reality was an above-average affair that was more diverse than many such efforts of the time. The three songs Bell co-wrote with guitarist Horace Shipp Jr. were socially conscious tunes in a different bag than the straightforward, romantic odes Bell usually purveyed. "Save Us" is indebted to Marvin Gaye's What's Going On era, with a Philly-influenced funk-soul groove, and "Fifty Dollar Habit" is, of course, about drug use. Elsewhere Bell sticks mostly to love songs, self-penned and otherwise, getting into a pre-disco lope on the title track, a style of sweet soul balladry on "What I Don't Know Won't Hurt Me" and "If You Really Love Him," and some light reggae-influenced rhythms on "Lonely for Your Love." [This CD reissue combines Bell's final two Stax albums, 1973's Phases of Reality and Relating, in one disc.]
© Richie Unterberger /TiVo
About the album
- 1 disc(s) - 8 track(s)
- Total length: 00:26:30
- Main artists: William Bell
- Composer: Various Composers
- Label: Stax
- Genre: Soul/Funk/R&B Soul
© 1972 Craft Recordings, a division of Concord Music Group, Inc. ℗ 1972 Craft Recordings, a division of Concord Music Group, Inc.
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