Genre: soul
Rating: 4 stars ****
Title: Night People
Company: Westbound
Catalog: W
226
Year: 1976
Country/State: Detroit, Michigan
Grade (cover/record): VG+ / VG+
Comments: --
Available: 1
GEMM catalog ID: 5641
Price: $20.00
Anywhere but Detroit The Fantastic Four would have been a massive act. Unfortunately, in spite of occasional hits, coming from Detroit they ranked no better than also-rans. That was a shame since these guys were quite talented turning out some 1960s and 1970s sides that were every bit as good as better known competitors.
Produced by Al Kent for Westbound Records, 1976's "Night People" found the quintet (now consisting of lead singer 'Sweet' James Epps, first tenor Cleveland Horne, baritone Joseph Pruitt, and bass singer Paul Scott), trying to blend classic 1970s soul moves, with a dollop of Norman Whitfield-styled real world commentary, and even an occasional disco rhythm. At least on the surface it wouldn't sound like a very promising mix, but for the most part these guys somehow managed to pull it off. Epps was certainly an overlooked jewel. He had a great voice and the other three were first rate harmony singers, giving the album considerable energy throughout. Yeah, sounding like an O'Jays castoff 'Hideaway' was a bit too blatant in its attempt to appeal to the crowd (though overlooking the suffocating orchestration it's grown on me the more I hear it), but powered by some some great harmony vocals and fantastic uncredited guitar (courtesy of Dennis Coffey?), the opening medley 'Night People/Lies Divided By Jive' and 'Don't Risk Your Happiness On Foolishness' were killer slices of Norman Whitfield-styled funk (underscored by Hornes' tenor the latter bore more than a passing resemblance to Whitfield's work with The Temptations). Interestingly Epps old school voice was at its best on the self-penned ballad 'By the River Under the Tree'. Best of the lot was 'If I Lose My Job'. (Funny that I'm listening to the latter track on the eve of Barack Obama's inauguration.) An overlooked gem that showed that deserved far more attention. The album was tapped for a pair of singles:
- 1976's 'They Took The Show On The Road' b/w 'Don't Risk Your Happiness On Foolishness' (Westbound catalog number 5030)
-1976's 'Hideaway' b/w 'They Took The Show On The Road' (Westbound catalog number 5032)
"Night
People" track listing:
(side 1)
1.) Medley: Night People / Lies Divided By Jive (A. Hamilton -
C. Colbert / A. Hamilton - Cleveland Horne - James Epps) - 10:57
2.) If I Lose My Job (A. Hamilton) - 6:05
(side
2)
1.) Hideaway (A. Hamilton) - 5:30
2.) By The River Under The Tree (James Epps - Josephy
Pruitt) - 4:32
3.) Don't Risk Your Happiness On Foolishness (A. Hamilton) - 4:13
4.) They Took The Show On The Road (A. Hamilton) - 4:10
Childs died in September 1979. Horne died of a massive heart attack in
April 2000. One of those odd coincidences, but five months later
(September 2000), Epps suffered a fatal heart attack.