Genre: soul
Rating: * (1 star)
Title: Feel No Fret
Company: Atlantic
Catalog: SD-19207
Year: 1979
Country/State: UK
Grade (cover/record): VG/VG
Comments: cut out notch along bottom seam; gatefold sleeve; original inner sleeve
Available: 1
GEMM catalog ID: 4503
Price: $4.00
Cost: $66.00
What's the old saying - never judge a book by its cover'? Well here's a case where the album is as dull as the cover art.
To be honest, late inning Average White Band is an acquired taste which I don't seem to have. Whatever energy these guys may have had in the early and mid 1970s was totally spent by the time 1979's self-produced "Feel the Fret" hit the stores. Performances such as 'When Will You Be Mine', 'Please Don't Fall In Love' and 'Stop the Rain' are all smooth and professional, but ultimately rather heartless. This is little more than nameplate product issued by Atlantic in a fading attempt to cash in on what little remained of the band's rapidly diminishing fan base. Is there anything worthwhile on this album? Well, their pseudo-funky cover of Hal David and Burt Bacharach's 'Walk On By' was passable and provided them with a minor US hit (Atlantic catalog number 45-3563). 'Stop the Rain' was pleasant and Luther Vandross provided background vocals on 'Too Late To Cry'. The title track was also tapped as a single (Atlantic catalog number 45-3581) though it didn't chart. Inexplicably in the mid-1990s Rhino reissued the album with four bonus tracks - "Feel the Fret and More".
"Feel No Fret" track listing:
(side 1)
1.) When Will You Be Mine (Alan Gorrie - Hamish Stuart) -
2.) Please Don't Fall In Love (Roger Ball - Alan Gorrie) -
3.) Walk On By (Hal David - Burt Bacharach) -
4.) Feel No Fret (Hamish Stuart - White - Alan Gorrie - Steve Ferrone) -
(side 2)
1.) Stop the Rain (Alan Gorrie - Hamish Stuart) -
2.) Atlantic Avenue (Steve Ferrone - Alan Gorrie - White) -
3.) Ace of Hearts (Steve Ferrone - Alan Gorrie - Hamish Stuart) -
4.) Too Late To Cry (Hamish Stuart) -
5.) Fire Burning