AWB is the second studio album by the Scottish funk and soul band Average White Band, released in August 1974.
AWB | ||||
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Studio album by | ||||
Released | August 1974 | |||
Recorded | 1973–1974 | |||
Studio | ||||
Genre | Funk, soul | |||
Length | 40:24 | |||
Label | Atlantic | |||
Producer | Arif Mardin | |||
The Average White Band chronology | ||||
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alternative cover | ||||
![]() Expanded 2CD re-issue cover |
Review scores | |
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Source | Rating |
AllMusic | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Christgau's Record Guide | A−[2] |
Tom Hull – on the Web | B+ (![]() ![]() |
AWB topped Billboard's Pop Albums and Black Albums charts. Its million-selling single "Pick Up the Pieces" knocked Linda Ronstadt's "You're No Good" out of #1 on Billboard's Hot 100. In Canada, the album was #2 for 3 weeks to Elton John's Greatest Hits.
A 2004 expanded re-issue from Sony/Columbia in the UK includes a bonus CD with several demo session recordings made before the group joined Atlantic Records – taken from the so-called "Clover Sessions," recorded at Clover Studios, Los Angeles, CA, in 1973.[4] This album was eventually released as How Sweet Can You Get?
Track listing
edit- Side one
- "You Got It" (Roger Ball, Hamish Stuart, Alan Gorrie) – 3:38
- "Got the Love" (Stuart, Ball, Robbie McIntosh) – 3:52
- "Pick Up the Pieces" (Average White Band) – 3:58
- "Person to Person" (Average White Band) – 3:38
- "Work to Do" (O'Kelly Isley, Ronald Isley, Rudolph Isley) – 4:21
- Side two
- "Nothing You Can Do" (Gorrie, Stuart, Ball) – 4:06
- "Just Wanna Love You Tonight" (Ball, Gorrie) – 3:57
- "Keepin' It to Myself" (Gorrie) – 3:52
- "I Just Can't Give You Up" (Stuart) – 3:24
- "There's Always Someone Waiting" (Gorrie) – 5:38
All songs arranged by Average White Band. All horn parts arranged by Roger Ball.
- Bonus track on 1995 Rhino re-issue (Rhino 71588)
- 11. "Pick Up the Pieces" – 21:40 (from The Atlantic Family Live at Montreux)[5]
Expanded 2CD re-issue (2004)
edit- Disc one
Original release
- Disc two – The Clover Sessions / How Sweet Can You Get?
- "Person to Person"
- "Keepin' It To Myself"
- "There's Always Someone Waiting"
- "McEwan's Export"
- "Got the Love"
- "Work to Do"
- "Just Want to Love You Tonight"
- "Pick Up the Pieces"
- "I Just Can't Give You Up"
- "How Sweet Can You Get (Mark 1)"
- Bonus tracks on 2005 Columbia-Europe re-issue (Columbia 520204)
- 11. "How Sweet Can You Get (Mark 1)"
- 12. "McEwan's Export"[6]
Personnel
editAverage White Band
edit- Alan Gorrie – lead vocals (on "Keepin' It To Myself" and "There's Always Someone Waiting"), co-lead vocals (on "You Got It", "Work To Do", "Nothing You Can Do", and "Just Wanna Love You Tonight"), background vocals, bass, guitar (on "You Got It")
- Hamish Stuart – lead vocals (on "Got The Love", "Person To Person", and "I Just Can't Give You Up"), co-lead vocals (on "You Got It", "Work To Do", "Nothing You Can Do", and "Just Wanna Love You Tonight"), background vocals, lead guitar, bass (on "You Got It")
- Roger Ball – keyboards, alto & baritone saxophones
- Molly Duncan – tenor saxophone
- Onnie McIntyre – background vocals, guitar, guitar solo on "Work To Do"
- Robbie McIntosh – drums, percussion
Additional musicians
edit- Ralph MacDonald – congas, percussion
- Michael Brecker – tenor saxophone
- Randy Brecker – trumpet
- Marvin Stamm – trumpet
- Mel Davis – trumpet
- Glenn Ferris – trombone
- Ken Bichel – mellotron (on "Just Wanna Love You Tonight")[7]
Other musicians
edit(Live at Montreux bonus track)
- Sonny Fortune – alto saxophone
- Jaroslav Jakubovič – baritone saxophone
- David "Fathead" Newman – alto saxophone
- Dick Morrissey – tenor saxophone
- Herbie Mann – flute
- Don Ellis – trumpet
- Lew Soloff – trumpet
- Gil Rathel – trumpet
- Barry Rogers – trombone
- Alan Kaplan – trombone
- Jim Mullen – guitar
- Richard Tee – electric piano
- Raphael Cruz – percussion
- Sammy Figueroa – percussion
Production
edit- Gene Paul – mixing, engineering (NYC)
- Lewis Hahn – engineering (NYC)
- Karl Richardson – engineering (Miami)
- Steve Klein – engineering (Miami)
- Ron Albert – engineering (Miami)
- Howard Albert – engineering (Miami)
- Jimmy Douglass – engineering (additional recording)
- Bobby Warner – engineering (additional recording)
- Dennis King – mastering engineer
- Arif Mardin – production, mixing
- Alan Pariser – direction
- Alan Gorrie – logo concept
- Tim Bruckner – front cover drawing
- Barry Feinstein – design & photography
Other Album Notes
edit"AWB would like to express their deep appreciation to Jerry Wexler, Alan Pariser and Bruce McCaskill."
Chart positions
editBillboard Music Charts (United States)
Album
editYear | Chart | Position |
---|---|---|
1975 | RPM Canada 100[8] | 2 |
1975 | Billboard 200 | 1 |
Singles
editYear | Single | Chart | Position |
---|---|---|---|
1974 | "Pick Up The Pieces" | Disco Singles | 10 |
1974 | "Work To Do" | 10 | |
1975 | "Pick Up The Pieces" | Pop Singles | 1 |
1975 | "Pick Up The Pieces" | Black Singles | 5 |
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ AllMusic review
- ^ CG Book '70s: A
- ^ Hull, Tom (3 May 2021). "Music Week". Tom Hull – on the Web. Retrieved 7 May 2021.
- ^ 2CD expanded re-issue listing at amazon.uk
- ^ Rhino.com Archived 1 January 2009 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ swapacd.com link
- ^ "discography at www.averagewhiteband.com". Archived from the original on 2 April 2009. Retrieved 29 March 2009.
- ^ "RPM Top 100 Albums – March 1, 1975" (PDF).
- Atlantic SD 7308
- Average White Band at AllMusic