Feel No Fret [Clear Vinyl]

by Average White Band

Overview

From their self-titled sophomore album of 1974 to 1978's Warmer Communications, the Average White Band enjoyed a commercial winning streak in the '70s; all of the albums they recorded for Atlantic during that period went either gold or platinum in the United States (and that is in addition to their impressive sales in Europe). But if any AWB album demonstrated that all good things must eventually come to an end, it was Feel No Fret. This 1979 LP marked the first time since 1973's Show Your Hand (also known as Put It Where You Want It) that an AWB album didn't enjoy either gold or platinum sales in the U.S., and it was also the most uneven album they recorded in the '70s. So what went wrong? Perhaps the absence of Arif Mardin was a factor; Mardin had produced all of AWB's previous Atlantic releases, whereas they produced Feel No Fret themselves. If Mardin had been encouraging the Scottish soul/funk band to go that extra mile, they settled for decent or competent on this record. Feel No Fret is far from a total meltdown, and the material is generally likable -- especially the good-natured "Atlantic Avenue," the slow-grinding "When Will You Be Mine," and a remake of the Burt Bacharach/Hal David favorite "Walk On By" (which became a minor hit and made it to number 32 on Billboard's R&B singles chart). But after Mardin-produced treasures like AWB, Soul Searching, Cut the Cake, and Warmer Communications, AWB followers had become extremely spoiled -- they expected excellence, not a record that was merely adequate. Nonetheless, hardcore devotees (as opposed to casual listeners) will want to hear this album, which Rhino reissued on CD as Feel No Fret...and More (with four bonus tracks added) in 1994. ~ Alex Henderson

Product Details

Release Date:	07/17/2020
Label:	Demon Records
UPC:	5014797901407

Tracks

1. When Will You Be Mine
2. Please Don't Fall In Love
3. Walk On By
4. Feel No Fret
5. Stop The Rain
6. Atlantic Avenue
7. Ace Of Hearts
8. Too Late To Cry
9. Fire Burning

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Average White Band   Primary Artist
Ernie Watts   Guest Artist,Saxophone
Michael Brecker   Guest Artist,Horn,Sax (Tenor)
Randy Brecker   Guest Artist,Horn,Trumpet
Luther Vandross   Guest Artist,Vocals,Vocals (Background)
Airto Moreira   Guest Artist,Percussion
Onnie McIntyre   Guitar,Vocals
Alan Gorrie   Bass,Guitar,Vocals
Molly Duncan   Sax (Tenor)
Gary Grant   Trumpet
Hamish Stuart   Bass,Guitar,Vocals
Zeca DaCuica   Cuica
Malcolm Duncan   Saxophone
Steve Ferrone   Drums,Percussion
Lew Del Gatto   Saxophone,Sax (Baritone)
Jerry Hey   Trumpet
Roger Ball   Keyboards,Saxophone,Sax (Alto),Synthesizer

Technical Credits

Average White Band   Composer,Producer,Group
Bill Inglot   Reissue Remastering
Gene Paul   Engineer,Producer,Remixing
Roger Ball   Horn Arrangements,String Arrangements,Arranger,Composer
Alan Gorrie   Composer
Arif Mardin   String Arrangements
Burt Bacharach   Composer
A. Scott Galloway   Liner Notes
Hal David   Composer
Benji Armbrister   Assistant Engineer
Gavin Christopher   Composer
Humberto Gatica   Mixing,Engineer
David McLees   Reissue Supervisor
David Foster   Composer,Producer,String Arrangements
Steve McManus   Engineer
George Massenburg   Mixing
Hamish Stuart   Composer
Rachel Gutek   Design
Joe Laux   Assistant Engineer
Daniel Hersch   Reissue Remastering
Patrick Milligan   Reissue Research
Steve Ferrone   Composer
Mark Linnett   Engineer
Jerry Hey   Horn Arrangements