Brenton Wood's 18 Best

by Brenton Wood

Overview

It's hard not to hear Brenton Wood's biggest hit, "Gimme Little Sign," and not be convinced that it very well might be the greatest single ever cut. It relies on no one thing -- the song is slinky, surprising, and seductive, blessed with a perfect production (the organ break in the middle is positively, eerily beautiful) and a wonderful, understated performance by Wood, who proves with his smooth, sure-handed delivery that he is one of the finest soul singers of his generation. Apart from "Gimme Little Sign" and the cheerful, infectious "Oogun Boogum," he had few blockbusters, but those were two of the best singles of the '60s, and the rest of his canon was uniformly enjoyable, even if lacking songs as undeniable as that pair. Sadly, his catalog still lacks a truly convincing overview of his career, but in a pinch, 18 Best will have to do. Doggedly non-chronological, lacking liner notes or cohesion, and not necessarily spotlighting his best, it still does make a strong case for Wood's talents as a singer and even the weaker material is enjoyable, thanks to his voice and production. It may not be perfect, but it does have a perfect single, one nearly as good, and a bunch of other songs that prove Wood was at the forefront of uptown soul in the '60s. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Product Details

Release Date:	10/04/2024
Label:	Craft Recordings
UPC:	0888072610248

Tracks

1. Gimme Little Sign [Remastered 2024]
2. The Oogum Boogum Song [Remastered 2024]
3. Baby You Got It [Remastered 2024]
4. I Think You've Got Your Fools Mixed Up [Remastered 2024]
5. Great Big Bundle Of Love [Remastered 2024]
6. I'm The One Who Knows [Remastered 2024]
7. Lovey Dovey Kinda Lovin' [Remastered 2024]
8. Can You Dig It [Remastered 2024]
9. Whoop It On Me [Remastered 2024]
10. Take A Chance [Remastered 2024]
11. Catch You On The Rebound [Remastered 2024]
12. Me And You [Remastered 2024]
13. I Like The Way You Love Me [Remastered 2024]
14. Darlin' [Remastered 2024]
15. Where Were You [Remastered 2024]
16. Two Time Loser [Remastered 2024]
17. Sad Little Songs (La Tee Ta) [Remastered 2024]
18. Goodnight Baby [Remastered 2024]

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Brenton Wood   Primary Artist,Vocals

Technical Credits

Thomas Lopinski   Production Coordination
Vinicius de Moraes   Composer
Jerry Winn   Composer
Brenton Wood   Composer
Hal Winn   Producer
Alfred Smith   Composer
Steve Cropper   Composer
Antonio Carlos Jobim   Composer
David Porter   Composer
Joseph Hooven   Composer
Art Laboe   Executive Producer
Joe Hooven   Composer,Producer
Joanna Morones   Producer
Paul Leo Politi   Producer,Song Compilation