Artist: The Soul Children
Profile:
A two-man, two-woman vocal group with a penchant for recording soap-opera ballads dealing with adultery, the Soul Children were signed to Stax Records in the late ’60s and first clicked on the soul charts with the multi-part single “The Sweeter He Is.” Their biggest hit came in late 1974 with “I’ll Be the Other Woman,” which dented the pop Top 40. After Stax closed its doors in 1975, the Soul Children recorded for Epic and later issued several up-tempo dance singles for Fantasy’s reactivated Stax label. The group temporarily stopped issuing new music by the decade’s end; however, they reconvened nearly 30 years later for the release of 2008’s Still Standing. John Lowe, All Music Guide
A slicker, sweeter, and less satisfying outing than their previous LP, Genesis, Friction did nonetheless include their biggest hit, “I’ll Be the Other Woman.” A little daring for the radio in that it acknowledged an adulterous affair, “I’ll Be the Other Woman” was also something of a departure for the Soul Children, putting Shelbra Bennett in the spotlight as lead vocalist (J. Blackfoot had tended to have the most visible leads). Bennett was also lead singer on the less impressive single “Love Makes It Right,” a small R&B hit that concludes the record. In the interim, there are lush ballads that get into icky sweetness (“What’s Happening Baby”) as well as some more up-tempo, funky numbers. The best of the lot is “Can’t Let You Go,” which smolders a bit thanks to the grainy lead vocal (presumably by J. Blackfoot) and subtle wah-wah guitar. The album was paired with 1972’s Genesis on a single-disc CD reissue. Richie Unterberger, All Music Guide
Friction is one of the best records to come out of the south in the 70’s, and it’s one of the most amazing records we’ve ever heard about sleepin’ around, cheatin’, and sneakin’ love on the side. The 7 tracks form a sort of “suite” of love and infidelity, and they’re woven together with this amazing production that mixes a Memphis sensibility with the higher level of production that was hitting the east coast vocal groups of the time. Titles include “I’ll Be the Other Woman”, “Can’t Let You Go”, “We’re Gettin Too Close”, “Love Makes It Right”, and “What’s Happening Baby”.
Review By Soulmakossa:
‘Friction’, the last album the Soul Children recorded as a quartet, and the last one bearing the Stax logo, ranks as one of the group’s most successful and artistically creative.
The cover shot pretty much sums up the general mood on display in the music here: bleak, heartbroken, hazy… This is a platter filled with stories of love gone bad, infidelity and pleading.
Best known of all the tracks here is the #3 R&B smash hit “I’ll Be the Other Woman”, a torrid, mid-tempo ballad featuring the haunting vocals of Shelbra Bennett who creeps into the skin of the reluctant mistress.
Equally low-fi is the lengthy slowburner “What’s Happening Baby”, a hypnotizingly beautiful ballad which starts off with a moody monologue by J. Blackfoot, and segues into a teary-eyed lament where Blackfoot tears it up.
The menacing funk of “Can’t Let You Go” – another Blackfoot tour de force – is dark and sinister, with its creepy horn and flute chart and devil-may-care groove.
Bleakest of all arguably is the incendiary mid-tempo ballad “It’s Out of My Hands”, which juxtaposes melancholic orchestration with piercing electric guitar riffs and bellowing horns. The dreamy “Just One Moment”, on the other hand, offers a more soothing, upbeat vibe, with Blackfoot delivering another stellar vocal.
“We’re Gettin’ Too Close” is the sole uptempo track on this LP, but here too the lyrics – superbly interpreted by Blackfoot – deal with love’s darker sides.
And serving as somewhat of a general ‘carte blanche’, or ‘justification’, for all the love-related woes that have been dealt with previously, The Soul Children end this stellar concept album on a superb note with the brooding “Love Makes It Right”.
‘Friction’ indeed. A gem of an album that’ll soothe the bruised emotions of jilted lovers everywhere.
Review By RDTEN1:
Wow, a Stax concept album …
Written and produced by Homer Banks and Carl Hampton, 1974’s “Friction” explored the impacts of a broken relationship. As a warning, anyone looking for an uplifting thirty minutes of dance filled enjoyment was in for a rude awakening. Featuring a ballad heavy collection of material the seven tracks outlined the bitter breakdown of a marriage from the perspectives of both the husband and the wife. Song for song, this had to be one of the bleakest albums in my collection. No sunshine and happiness in these grooves. Whereas the group’s earlier album’s had always showcased John “Blackfoot” Colbert in the vocal spotlight, this time around he was forced to share the spotlight. Exemplified by the vampy ballad ‘What’s Happening Baby’ and the scary ‘Can’t Let You Go’, Blackfoot remained the group’s prime singer, but this time around Shelbra Bennett got plenty of face time in the form of the ballads ‘I’ll Be The Other Woman’ and ‘Love Makes It Right’. The album certainly wasn’t without it’s charms, but unlike most fans, I wasn’t won over by the concept, or the material. To my ears the set was simply too ballad heavy. Yeah, I know it’s hard to write am up-tempo break-up song. Still, the overarching sense of doom and gloom simply wore you down over time.
“Where Is Your Woman Tonight” track listing:
(side 1)
1.) I’ll Be The Other Woman (Homer Banks – Carl Hampton) – 3:38
Quality Stax ballad, though Shelbra Bennett’s vocals were a bit on the shrill side and the absence of a strong hook kept it from being one of those classic Stax ballads. That didn’t stop Stax from releasing it as a single, providing the group with their biggest pop and R&B hit. rating: *** stars
2.) What’s Happening Baby (Homer Banks – Carl Hampton) – 6:42
‘What’s Happening Baby’ was one of the few tracks featuring J. Blackfoot on lead vocals. Personally I’ve never liked supper club tunes that open up with extended vamps (and this one went on and on and on). That means I wasn’t a big fan of this one, though you had to give Blackfoot credit turning the “pleading” factor on as this one rolled along. Stax also tapped this one as a single. rating: ** stars
3.) Can’t Let You Go (Homer Banks – Carl Hampton) – 4:47
Built on a mesmerizing bass line, the heavily orchestrated ‘Can’t Let You Go’ brought the album’s feeling of desperation and despair to a new level. This one was so intense as to almost be frightening. Great backing vocals from the ladies. rating: *** stars.
(side 2)
1.) It’s Out Of My Hands (Homer Banks – Carl Hampton – Al Jackson) – 3:24
‘It’s Out of My Hands’ was saved by having one of the album’s better melodies, some nice electric guitar, and another killer chorus. rating: *** stars
2.).Just One Moment (Homer Banks – Carl Hampton) – 4:58
Sweet ballad from a bad boy who was about to get his financial butt kicked for bad behavior. rating: **** stars
3.) We’re Gettin’ Too Close (Homer Banks – Carl Hampton) – 3:52
‘We’re Getting Too Close’ was the album’s lone up-tempo number and a nice change of pace. It was also Blackfoot’s finest moment on the album … rating: **** stars
4.) Love Makes It Right (Homer Banks – Carl Hampton) – 5:52
‘Love Makes It Right’ was another ballad that started out with an extended vocal vamp … this one kind of funny given Bennett sounded like she been inhaling whippets. By the time she actually started singing, the song was halfway through. Luckily, once she started singing, Bennett kicked the hell out of the tune and having a catchy title chorus didn’t hurt. rating: *** stars
– 1973’s ‘I’ll Be the Other Woman’ b/w ‘Come Back Kind of Love’ (Stax catalog number STA-0182) # 36 pop; # 3 R&B
– 1974’s ‘Love Makes It Right (Monologue)’ b/w ‘Love Makes It Right’ (Stax catalog number STA–0218)
– 1974’s ‘What’s Happening Baby’ b/w ‘What’s Happening Baby (Monologue) (Stax catalog number STA-0230)
If you’re impressed, or influenced by such things, the music oriented magazine Mojo included the album on its list of the 100 greatest soul albums of all time – # 61 …
Blackfoot passed away on November 2011.
Bennett passed on in May 2013.
Album: Friction
Release date: 1974
Tracklist:
1. I’ll Be The Other Woman
2. What’s Happening Baby
3. Can’t Let You Go
4. It’s Out Of My Hands
5. Just One Moment
6. We’re Gettin’ Too Close
7. Love Makes It Right
‘What’s Happening Baby’ On YouTube
Vinyl Covers & Labels (Click On The Thumbnails)
