John Gary Williams

had been a longtime member of the soul vocal group before starting a solo career after the group broke up in the early '70s. His self-titled 1973 album is one of the most obscure LPs, in part because it was issued as the company started to cease operations. He wrote five of the eight tracks on the record, producing five of them as well (and co-producing the others). Though not a major effort in the scheme of either early-'70s soul or the catalog, it's a pleasant assortment of sweet soul tracks, with a slightly earthier edge than many recordings in the genre boasted. Most of the songs are upbeat romantic numbers highlighting ' smooth, high vocals, inserting covers of songs by , , and (more unexpectedly) . The most impressive cuts, by a long shot, are the ones that steer away from the usual romantic themes to make general social observations. The opener is a lively, dramatic expression of optimism; the closing in contrast, reflects the pessimism infiltrating much early-'70s soul, the gently percolating grooves and soaring strings offsetting lyrics of confusion at the backstabbing state of the modern world. [The 2010 CD reissue on adds historical liner notes and both sides of the subsequent single / two midtempo tunes with a similar vibe to those on the album.] ~ Richie Unterberger