An opportunity missed, by a hundred-thousand miles!
Calvin Stout | Des Moines, Iowa - USA | 09/11/2007
(2 out of 5 stars)
"If you are a Brook Benton fan you probably already have the double-lp-cd "Brook Benton Today & Home Style" released in 2004. Two of Brooks Atlantic/Atco/Cotillion LP's on one CD. Long overdue, but worth the wait. Since then we have been anticipating the next logical double-lp-cd release from Atlantic/WEA, the compilation of "Brook Benton Story Teller & Do Your Own Thing". Nope! What we get is this watered down version of just three of Brook's five Cotillion LP's. No cuts from 1969's "Do Your Own Thing", which was his his first LP for the Atlantic subsidiary.
Not only is the title track missing but also cuts "She Knows What To Do For Me", "Nothing Can Take The Place Of You', I Just Don't Know What To With Myself" or any of eight other tracks that could have been selected. Also, there are no cuts from Brook's last Cotlillion release, 1972's, "The Gospel Truth". Come on Atlantic, do the right thing. We deserve a genuine Brook Benton Cotillion collection. If you can't, or more likely won't, issue all five LP's on a two CD package at least give us the two remaining secular LP's on a two-fer CD as you did with the "Today/Home Style" release. As far as the value of this so-called "platinum collection"? If you have no other way to get any of Brook's Cotillion material this will have to do. And, you will get 7 of the 10 cuts from the "Story Teller" LP. In the long run it's a poor, poor package for an artist who deserve's a lot better treatment from such a huge music and entertainment cartel. Shame on you Atlantic/WEA, or whatever your latest conglomerate name is."
Still wonderful music
blue | NY | 09/14/2007
(4 out of 5 stars)
"I do understand what the previous poster wrote and his frustration. Indeed I also love to see his other albums on CD someday but still only 2 star is too harsh as this is such a wonderful music. Today/Home Style 2fer was from the small reissue label called dbk works and it is already out of print. And this CD is from Warner music UK, which means you cannot expect continuity from these two different companies. Until Today/Home Style 2fer, most of his atlantic/cotillion recordings had been not available on CD besides "Rainy night in Georgea" probably because he did not have any other major hit during this period. Despite of that he made his most soulful recordings then and I really love them. I keep on waiting for the day his other albums are put on CD and I will enjoy this compilation CD in a mean time and certainly feel gratefull for 6 songs which made it to this CD for the first time."
"...Hey Mama...Let Me Fix It For You..."
Mark Barry at Reckless Records, Lon | UK | 04/26/2009
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Having had a massive male vocal career with Mercury Records throughout the Fifties & Sixties, Brook Benton's stay at the wonderful Atlantic label for the late Sixties and early Seventies produced a run of good albums that achieved only moderate chart positions and are all but forgotten now - and criminally so. Possessed of the most fantastically deep and expressive voice, he could sing anything from Sinatra's "My Way" to Elton John's "Country Comforts" - and he usually gave them his own soul/funky/gospel stamp. This cool little UK/Europe compilation is a great way into that.
Celebrating 60 years of Atlantic (stickered as such on the jewel case and printed on the black & red label), this 20-track June 2007 Rhino set is part of a large series of budget-priced compilations offering generous amounts of classic music for peanuts money. The 4-page inlay is only adequate as you can imagine, and offers no real discography or history - so here's a detailed breakdown of what's on offer (75:14 minutes)...
Brook Benton's 5 US Atlantic/Cotillion albums were:
"Do Your Own Thing", USA July 1969 LP on Cotillion SD-9002
(No Tracks)
"Brook Benton Today", USA February 1970 LP on Cotillion SD-9018
(CD Tracks 1, 5, 12, 13, 14, 15 and 16)
"Home Style", USA August 1970 LP on Cotillion SD-9028
(CD Tracks 3, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 and 11)
"The Gospel Truth", USA June 1971 LP on Cotillion SD-058
(No Tracks)
"Story Teller", USA 1972 LP on Atlantic SD-9050
(CD Tracks 2, 4, 17, 18, 19 and 20)
As you can see from the track allocation above, having no songs at all from "Do Your Own Thing" or "The Gospel Truth" is a huge disappointment. But the 20 tracks we do get from the other 3 are welcome - especially the six from "Story Teller" which are new to CD. Also, in 2004 a small US label DBK Works put out "...Today/Home Style" as 2LPs on 1CD but that's now hard to find and pricey - so for both the die-hard fan and the casual buyer, "Platinum" is an extremely inexpensive way of accessing rare music from a lesser-documented period of Benton's amazing career.
Having had a chart hit with his superbly soulful version of Tony Joe White's "Rainy Night In Georgia", it's not surprising that he covered three more of his tunes - "For Lee Ann", "Aspen Colorado" and "Willie And Laura Mae Jones". The "Rainy Night..." soundalike "For Lee Ann" features CISSY HOUSTON on almost operatic vocals while the mellow and languid style of "Aspen Colorado" suited Benton's style so well.
A real gem here, however, is the wonderful self-penned "Let Me Fix It", a slinky and sexy soul song, which features THE DIXIE FLYERS on Horns and Keyboards and Cissy Houston on witty Duet vocals. It turned up in 2001 on the Atlantic compilation "Right On! Vol.3" (aimed directly at those who like break beats and grooves) and sent many soul fans back into second-hand record shops in London trying to find his LPs!
Most of the sessions were produced by ace arranger ARIF MARDIN and many of the tracks also feature THE SWEET INSPIRATIONS on Backing Vocals.
Although it doesn't state 'remastered' anywhere - it's presumed being Rhino that they are because the sound is wonderful throughout - a little hissy in a few places - but nothing that would detract.
What's needed of course is a Brook Benton Rhino Handmade Limited Edition BOX SET covering all 5 of his albums, the 7" singles and hopefully even some tasty unreleased stuff (there's bound to be some and I'll bet it's good too). Whether that's commercially viable or not is another matter.
In the meantime, this budget-priced remastered compilation is stunning value for money and makes available music that is increasingly hard to find now on original vinyl.
A voice and a talent you need to rediscover - highly recommended.
PS: the other Atlantic artists in "The Platinum Collection" series are: LaVern Baker (see REVIEW), Archie Bell & The Drells (see REVIEW), Booker T & The M.G.'s, Ruth Brown, Solomon Burke, Clarence Carter, The Clovers, Arthur Conley (see REVIEW), Don Covay (see REVIEW), The Detroit Spinners, Eddie Floyd, King Curtis, Barbara Lewis (see REVIEW), The Mar-Keys, The Persuasions, Sam & Dave, Percy Sledge (see REVIEW), Carla Thomas, Rufus Thomas, (Big) Joe Turner and Betty Wright
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Track Listings (20) - Disc #1