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- Date Released: May 21, 2002
- Genre: Hip-Hop/R&B
- Style: R&B
- Label: Epic/Legacy
- Copyright: (P) 1973, 1975, 2007 SONY BMG MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT.
The debut album from the sprawling and communal Sound of Philadelphia
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We Say...
Short for Mother Father Sister Brother (and anyone else who happened to be hanging out in the studio), M.F.S.B. was a sprawling, thirty-deep collection of the Philadelphia International label's finest studio musicians. Their behind-the-scenes work for the Spinners, the O'Jays and the rest of Gamble and Huff's empire would lay the foundation for the city's unofficial signature sound; their own albums gave the musicians themselves a chance to stretch out and shine.
Fittingly, their 1973 debut is heavy on other people's songs, from a swinging, jazz-tinged cover of Curtis Mayfield's "Freddy's Dead" to a nice, galloping version of Sly and the Family Stone's "Family Affair." One of the most notable tracks finds M.F.S.B. reworking one of their greatest moments: their version of "Back Stabbers" trades in the O'Jays' smoldering, man-scorned ache for a comparatively chipper duel of saxophones and flute. This reissue closes with a live, Three Degrees-assisted version of the disco-influenced Soul Train theme "T.S.O.P." — their greatest hit, a shift to disco, and the sound of things to come. -
They Say...
MFSB's debut album was more of a soul-funk mix than the kind of disco for which the band would become known with their "T.S.O.P." hit. There's less of a thumping rhythm and a greater inclination to lengthy, occasionally jazzy instrumental grooves, as on the seven-minute cover of "Freddie's Dead" that opens the set. The group also made a fair instrumental workout of Sly Stone's "Family Affair" and put the flute in the lead for much of the arrangement of "Back Stabbers." It's pretty well-crafted instrumental soul that's not quite super-slick, though your attention might eventually wander if you're not using it as dance fodder. The lush pop inclinations that would form part of the bed of their later work (both as MFSB and backing numerous Philly soul artists) come more to the fore on some other tracks, particularly the grandiose "Poinciana," though even that breaks up the soaring violins with some tasty jazz-blues piano and guitar. The 2002 CD reissue on Epic/Legacy adds a live version of "T.S.O.P. (The Sound of Philadelphia)" (which is not, incidentally, otherwise represented on the album), with the Three Degrees on vocals, that was previously issued on the Three Degrees' 1975 album Live.
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| 01. |  |
Freddie's Dead |
7:11 |
|
| 02. | |
Family Affair |
4:22 |
|
| 03. | |
Something For Nothing |
2:58 |
|
| 04. | |
Back Stabbers |
6:31 |
|
| 05. | |
Lay In Low |
3:43 |
|
| 06. | |
Poinciana |
5:50 |
|
| 07. | |
T.S.O.P. (The Sound Of Philadelphia)
|
3:53 |
|
07 Total Tracks, 34:28 Total Length
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Credits
- The Three Degrees - Performer // MFSB - Main Performer // Reggie Lucas - Guitar // Steven Berkowitz - A&R // Thom Bell - Arranger // Micaela Boland - Design // Karl Chambers - Drums // Roland Chambers - Guitar // Bobby Eli - Guitar // Norman Farrington - Drums // Kenny Gamble - Arranger // Kenny Gamble - Producer // Norman Harris - Guitar // Norman Harris - Arranger // Leon Huff - Arranger // Leon Huff - Piano (Electric) // Leon Huff - Producer // Anthony Jackson - Bass // Ed Lee - Cover Design // Joe McEwen - Liner Notes // Joe McEwen - Reissue Producer // Vince Montana - Arranger // Vince Montana - Vibraphone // Lenny Pakula - Organ // Lenny Pakula - Arranger // Joseph M. Palmaccio - Mastering // Joe Tarsia - Engineer // Joe Tarsia - Mixing // T.J. Tindall - Guitar // Larry Washington - Bongos // Larry Washington - Conga // Earl Young - Drums // Leo Sacks - Reissue Producer // Zach Zachary - Sax (Alto) // Don Hunstein - Photography // Howard Fritzson - Art Direction // Alex Gnidziejko - Cover Art // Patti Matheny - A&R // Bobby Martin - Arranger // Bobby Martin - Producer // Kyle Wofford - A&R // Ronnie Baker - Bass // Darren Salmieri - A&R // Lisa Buckler - Project Director // Tony Williams - Flute // Tony Williams - Saxophone
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