From the Vault...

01/18/2004
#873

info
Average White Band
"AWB"


© Atlantic Records

Rating:

track listing
  • You Got It
  • Got The Love
  • Pick Up The Pieces
  • Person To Person
  • Work To Do
  • Nothing You Can Do
  • Just Wanna
    Love You Tonight
  • Keepin' It To Myself
  • I Just Can't
    Give You Up
  • There's Always
    Someone Waiting
  • Pick Up The Pieces
    (The Atlantic
    Family
    Live At Montreux)

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    Average White Band Website
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    Previous Review: #872
    The Bangles--Greatest Hits
    Next Review: #874
    Jackyl--Jackyl
    Average White Band
    "AWB"



    The Average White Band may not be a household name, but their most popular instrumental hit, "Pick Up The Pieces" will bring back memories for those who remember it back in 1974, and most recently revived on TV commercials. Combining rock, soul and jazz, the Average White Band's 1974 release AWB gets the nod of approval for this week's review.


    "You Got It" has a sound that could be compared to Steve Winwood's years with Traffic and/or on his own solo career. Likewise, "Got The Love" can be compared to Winwood, yet it has a more soulful funky beat. Speaking of funky, funk and what would later become Disco music is best described for "Person To Person."


    Disco music was in its beginning stages, as the funky soul beats generated this new trend of music. "Work To Do" has the energetic disco style, where pleasant soulful music best describes "Nothing You Can Do" and "Just Wanna Love You Tonight." Soul mixed with Disco is heard on "Keepin' It To Myself." Energized Disco best describes "I Just Can't Give You Up," and "There's Always Someone Waiting" is slow driving soul. Ending the album is a bonus selection, a live version of "Pick Up The Pieces" (The Atlantic Family Live At Montreux).


    A new sound was on the rise, and in 1974 the Average White Band's AWB would surface Disco music, as this album would shape the next big sound for the decade. Surprisingly, "Pick Up The Pieces" is the only instrumental song from this album. Many people may think AWB as an instrumental band. But they did have some very impressive vocal abilities, filled with soulful approaches in vocal style as well as musically. A good introduction to what would later become Disco, AWB has the listener dancing to the groove, as it could be a good mix to today's club dances, combining today's hip-hop with the previous decades' dance music. It should appeal to the younger crowd of today, to prove that music of the past 30 years was also exciting and enjoyable as many young fans of today's music enjoys the current trends of hip-hop and rap.


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    Previous Review: #872
    The Bangles--Greatest Hits
    Next Review: #874
    Jackyl--Jackyl