David Bruce Murray
Apr 29, 2010
CD Review
CD Review: Blackwood Gospel Quartet – See To It Brother
RATING: 3 1/2 Stars
Producer: Mark Blackwood
Songs: “Put The Candle Back,” “I Need Your Love,” “Vessel Of Love,” “Sweet, Sweet Smile,” “My Quiet Time,” “Harmony,” “He Could Never,” “Poor Ole Ollie,” “One More Mountain,” “We’re In This Together,” “An Heir To It All,” and “Step Up To The Table”
Since recording See To It Brother, the Blackwood Gospel Quartet has morphed into the Blackwood Quartet. Sometimes when a group goes through a change right after recording a CD, that product gets overlooked. I wanted to go ahead and review this particular CD, even though two members who appear on the CD are no longer singing with the group.
Several songs on See To It Brother effectively recapture the feel of the 1970s Imperials. I can easily imagine the Morales/Blackwood/Andrus/Murray version of the Imperials singing tracks like “Put The Candle Back,” “I Need Your Love,” “Harmony,” “He Could Never” and “An Heir To It All.” By far, these are my favorite tracks on the CD. Of course it doesn’t sound exactly like the Imperials, but it’s a similar sound on similar songs.
Most of the other selections are pretty good as well. The instrumentation and mix could be better on “Vessel Of Love,” but “Sweet, Sweet Smile” is a fun love song. The lyric of “My Quiet Time” has a good message and there’s a few interesting chord progressions to make it stand out despite the generic instrumentation. “One More Mountain” is a nice dramatic arrangement that builds to a big finish. “We’re In This Together” has a lyric with an awkward line at the end of each chorus, but otherwise, it’s a good song. Less impressive is the cheesy novelty song called “Poor Ole Ollie” and an arrangement featuring a groove that never quite settles down titled “Step Up To The Table.”
Overall, See To It Brother is worth checking out if you enjoy a 1970s vocal group style.
