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Although the title could be interpreted to portend the relationship between Eddie Kendricks and his longtime record label, contextual and lyrical clues would suggest Goin' Up in Smoke (1976) has a motif of triumph over tragedy. In many ways it is a continuation of the work that had begun on He's a Friend (1976) with songwriter/arranger and multi-instrumentalist Norman Harris back at the helm of the same Philly-based Stigma Sound Studio with many musicians likewise making encore appearances. With pop and soul music having been temporarily hijacked by disco, it stands to reason that Harris' scores reflect the latest trend in pop music. All the more significant is that the title song joined "Goin' Up in Smoke," "Music Man," "Born Again," and "Thanks for the Memories" as they collectively sent the LP to a very respectable number 11 on the then-recently created Dance/Disco survey. That impressive accomplishment aside, in retrospect Kendricks does not seem well served by the aggressive brass section. He occasionally struggles to be heard over them. Or perhaps producers intentionally buried the vocalist deep inside the mix as to not get in the way of the four-on-the floor beat. To a similar effect, the slow churning of "The Newness Is Gone" is awash in overbearing strings that sadly detract from the intimacy of the artist's performance. While the heart is definitely in the right place, "Don't You Want Light" is little more than an homage to "The Hustle" and again, does little to reveal the singer's talents.
© Lindsay Planer /TiVo
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Norman Ray Harris, Producer - Allan Wayne Felder, Percussion, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Norman Harris, Guitar, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Bruce Gray, Keyboards, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - Earl Young, Drums, AssociatedPerformer - Bobby Eli, Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Ron Baker, Bass Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Phil Hurtt, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - T.G. Conway, Keyboards, AssociatedPerformer - Don Renaldo, Horn, Strings, AssociatedPerformer - Ron Kersey, Keyboards, AssociatedPerformer - Vincent Montana Jr., Vibraphone, AssociatedPerformer - Eddie Kendricks, Vocals, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Carla Benson, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - Evette Benton, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - Barbara Ingram, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - Larry Washington, Conga, AssociatedPerformer - Charles Collins, Drums, AssociatedPerformer - Michael Foreman, Bass Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Carl Helm, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - Robert Cupit, Conga, AssociatedPerformer - Ronald Tyson Presson, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - Carlton Kent, Keyboards, AssociatedPerformer - Thomas Joshua Tindall, Guitar, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 1976 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Norman Ray Harris, Producer - Allan Wayne Felder, ComposerLyricist - Norman Harris, ComposerLyricist - Eddie Kendricks, MainArtist
℗ 1976 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Norman Ray Harris, Producer - Allan Wayne Felder, ComposerLyricist - Norman Harris, ComposerLyricist - Eddie Kendricks, MainArtist
℗ 1976 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Norman Ray Harris, Producer - Allan Wayne Felder, ComposerLyricist - Norman Harris, ComposerLyricist - Eddie Kendricks, MainArtist
℗ 1976 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Eddie Kendricks, MainArtist - Brian Evans, ComposerLyricist - Donald Harmon, ComposerLyricist - John Faison, ComposerLyricist
℗ 1976 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Norman Ray Harris, Producer - Eddie Kendricks, MainArtist - Jerry akines, ComposerLyricist - Reginald Turner, ComposerLyricist - Victor Drayton, ComposerLyricist - Johnny Bellmon, ComposerLyricist
℗ 1976 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Norman Ray Harris, Producer - Bruce Gray, ComposerLyricist - Phil Hurtt, ComposerLyricist - Eddie Kendricks, MainArtist
℗ 1976 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Norman Ray Harris, Producer - Bruce Gray, ComposerLyricist - T.G. Conway, ComposerLyricist - Eddie Kendricks, MainArtist - Frank Snowdon, ComposerLyricist - Mike Holden, ComposerLyricist
℗ 1976 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Norman Ray Harris, Producer - Allan Wayne Felder, ComposerLyricist - Norman Harris, ComposerLyricist - Eddie Kendricks, MainArtist - Ron Tyson, ComposerLyricist - Ronald Kersey, ComposerLyricist
℗ 1976 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Norman Ray Harris, Producer - Eddie Kendricks, MainArtist - Jerry akines, ComposerLyricist - Reginald Turner, ComposerLyricist - Victor Drayton, ComposerLyricist - Johnny Bellmon, ComposerLyricist
℗ 1976 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Album review
Although the title could be interpreted to portend the relationship between Eddie Kendricks and his longtime record label, contextual and lyrical clues would suggest Goin' Up in Smoke (1976) has a motif of triumph over tragedy. In many ways it is a continuation of the work that had begun on He's a Friend (1976) with songwriter/arranger and multi-instrumentalist Norman Harris back at the helm of the same Philly-based Stigma Sound Studio with many musicians likewise making encore appearances. With pop and soul music having been temporarily hijacked by disco, it stands to reason that Harris' scores reflect the latest trend in pop music. All the more significant is that the title song joined "Goin' Up in Smoke," "Music Man," "Born Again," and "Thanks for the Memories" as they collectively sent the LP to a very respectable number 11 on the then-recently created Dance/Disco survey. That impressive accomplishment aside, in retrospect Kendricks does not seem well served by the aggressive brass section. He occasionally struggles to be heard over them. Or perhaps producers intentionally buried the vocalist deep inside the mix as to not get in the way of the four-on-the floor beat. To a similar effect, the slow churning of "The Newness Is Gone" is awash in overbearing strings that sadly detract from the intimacy of the artist's performance. While the heart is definitely in the right place, "Don't You Want Light" is little more than an homage to "The Hustle" and again, does little to reveal the singer's talents.
© Lindsay Planer /TiVo
About the album
- 1 disc(s) - 10 track(s)
- Total length: 00:39:57
- Main artists: Eddie Kendricks
- Composer: Various Composers
- Label: UNI - MOTOWN
- Genre: Soul/Funk/R&B Soul
© 1976 UMG Recordings, Inc. ℗ 1976 UMG Recordings, Inc.
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