THELMA HOUSTON-THE MOWEST ALBUM.

dereksmusicblog ♦ October 22, 2012 ♦ Leave a comment

THELMA HOUSTON-THE MOWEST ALBUM.

It’s somewhat ironic that Thelma Houston’s most successful single was a disco version of Harold Melvin and The Blue Notes’ Don’t Leave Me This Way. It reached number one in the US Billboard 100, US R&B Charts and US Dance Charts. After all, Thelma Houston started her career as soul singer, releasing two albums before her transformation into a disco diva. Thelma released her debut album Sunshower for Dunhill Records in 1969, and three years later, signed to Motown’s new subsidiary MoWest. Her sophomore album was 1973s Thelma Houston, which will be rereleased by SoulMusic Records on 23rd October 2012 as The MoWest Album. With Thelma Houston one of MoWest’s first signings, Motown executives felt great things would come the way of their newest signing to their new label. Would that be the case, when Thelma released Thelma Houston for her new label MoWest? That’s what I’ll tell you, after I’ve told you the background to Thelma Houston, what’s become known as The MoWest Album.

Thelma Houston grew up in Long Beach, California and after joining the Art Reynolds Singers gospel group, signed to Dunhill Records. Her time at Dunhill wasn’t particularly successful, releasing Baby Mine in 1966 and then Don’t Cry My Soldier in 1967 Boy and Everybody Gets To Go To the Moon in 1968. A year later, in 1969, Thelma released her debut album Sunshower, produced by Jimmy Webb. Three singles were released in 1970 from Sunshower, Save the Country, I Just Gotta Be Me and The Good Earth. After the disappointment of Sunshower’s commercial failure, Thelma’s got the chance to sign to a new label, launched by one of soul music’s giant labels.

In 1972, Motown shocked not only the people of Detroit, but the music industry, when they decided to move from Detroit to Los Angeles. Now that Motown was settled in the West Coast sunshine, they decided to launch a new label, MoWest. This was an abbreviation of Motown, West Coast. This new label would showcase their new West Coast sound, rather than the usual and by now, familiar “Motown sound.” For many people, Motown’s Detroit sound was somewhat predictable, so the launch of a new label would celebrate their new location with new sounds for a new decade. 

By 1972, Motown would have a rival for the title of America’s premier soul label, Philadelphia International Records. Their sound was much more sophisticated and in 1972, released a trio of seminal albums in Billy Paul’s 360 Degrees of Billy Paul, The O’Jays’ Backstabbers and Harold Melvin and The Blue Notes’ I Miss You. Down South in Memphis, Hi Records with Willie Mitchell at the helm, were another of Motown’s rivals. Al Green, their most successful artist, had started releasing a string of commercially successful and critically acclaimed albums. 1972 saw Al release of two stonewall classics Let’s Stay Together and I’m Still In Love WIth You. So it was against this backdrop that Motown were launching their new label MoWest. Granted Motown were still releasing cutting-edge music, during the last few years. The Temptations’ genre fusing Psychedelic Shack was released in 1970, with Marvin Gaye releasing his sociopolitical classic, What’s Going On in 1971 and then the vastly underrated Blaxploitation soundtrack Trouble Man in 1972. To get back to being the biggest player in soul music wouldn’t be easy for Motown or MoWest. 

One of MoWest’s first singings was Thelma Houston, who signed to MoWest in 1971 MoWest before the label was launched. MoWest had been cofounded by Hal Davis, who’d produced Thelma’s debut album Sunshower. However, Hal Davis wouldn’t be producing Thelma’s sophomore album Thelma Houston, which became known as The MoWest Album. Instead, five tracks were produced by Joe Porter, who co-produced three tracks with Michael O’Martian. Mel Larson and Jerry Marcellino produced one track as did Al Cleveland and Eddie Langford. These ten tracks became the US version of Thelma Houston The UK version of Thelma Houston contained fourteen tracks, which all feature on the forthcoming rerelease by SoulMusic Records. Once Thelma Houston had recorded Thelma Houston one of her singles would launch MoWest in the UK. 

Motown launched their MoWest imprint in America in January 1972, with The Devastating Affair’s I Want To Be Humble. In Britain, MoWest’s first release was ten months later, in October 1972 when Thelma Houston’s No One’s Gonna Be A Fool Forever was released as a single. When Thelma Houston’s debut album for MoWest was released Thelma was opening for another Motown star Smokey Robinson. While this was something that excited Thelma, she was disappointed by the album sales. On its release, it had failed to chart. This wasn’t helped by a perceived lack of promotion. Two singles were released from Thelma Houston. I Want To Back There Again had been released in 1971, failed to chart. Nor did 1972s Me and Bobby McGee. For Thelma this must have been bitterly disappointing and for Hal Davis the cofounder of MoWest who’d been instrumental in signing Thelma. Despite the commercial failure of Thelma Houston, it has become a something of a prized album among Motown fans. Why is that? That’s what I’ll now tell you, when I tell you about the ten tracks on the original American release of Thelma Houston.

Opening Thelma Houston is What If, one of five tracks produced by Joe Porter and arranged by Artie Butler. Just an acoustic guitar and woodwind combine to create a subtle sounding arrangement. Then when Thelma’s vocal enters, you’re immediately stopped in your tracks by her delivery. It’s tender, heartfelt and incredibly soulful. Soon, it’s all change. Thelma and her band kick loose. Her vocal is a mixture of power and passion, with blazing horns, lush strings and cooing, gospel-tinged backing vocalists accompanying her. The rhythm section create the track’s pulsating heartbeat, joining the rhythm section in creating a dramatic backdrop for Thelma’s vocal tour de force.

Keyboards give way to Thelma’s wistful vocal, as There’s No Such Thing As Love reveals its secrets. Thelma’s vocal take centre-stage, while tender backing vocalists sweep in, joining the understated arrangement. Strings and rasping horns add to the emotion, before later, the arrangement grows. At the bridge, the rhythm section unite with horns, matching the power, in Thelma’s vocal, which is full of sadness and hurt. Like the previous track, Thelma breathes life and meaning into the lyrics, in a way few vocalists are capable of.

Me And Bobby McGee is a track that’s been covered many times by many artists. The difficulty in covering such a familiar track is bringing something new to it. For many people, Janis Joplin recorded the definitive version. Thelma’s version is quite different. Her country-tinged vocals is accompanied by guitars and bongos. Soon, her band fuse elements of soul, country and rock. Thelma’s switch from soul to country is seamless. This is one of the band’s best performances. Searing guitars and the rhythm section are joined by punchy, blazing horns and a piano. Later, handclaps punctuate the arrangement as Thelma scats her way through the lyrics fusing power and soulfulness. Although this is an oft-covered track, Thelma’s impassioned cover brings something new to the song.

For sheer soulfulness, I’m Letting Go is one of the highlights of Thelma Houston. An understated arrangement allows Thelma’s vocal to take centre-stage, where it belongs. Just a wistful horn and lush strings give way to Thelma’s vocal. Her vocal soars, with its melancholy, wistful sound tinged with regret, but also hope. Cooing backing vocalists accompany Thelma, before the arrangement grows in power and drama. Thelma’s vocal grows not only in power, but in confidence and hope. Growling horns, sweeping harmonies and lush strings are key to the arrangement. Later, as the arrangement takes on a subtle sound, a lone Thom Bell influenced horn signals Thelma’s vocal to explode in power, passion and emotion. It’s a hugely impressive sound and results in one of the album’s real highlights.

Do Something About It is very different sounding track. Rock and soul are combined from the get-go. Riffing rocky guitars, a driving rhythm section and piano combine with Thelma’s vocal. Her vocal is powerful, but has has a tougher sound and style, which is not unlike Janis Joplin.This suits the arrangement. It’s much bolder with a rocky sound. Gospel-tinged backing vocalists join sweeping, swirling string and blazing horns unite with the rocky guitars as the arrangement unfolds at breakneck speed. Thelma seems to revel in this change of style. She combines a rockier style with her usual soulfulness. Flourishes of piano add to what’s a dramatic, dynamic fusion of styles and sounds.

There Is A God sees Thelma return to her gospel roots, complete with gospel backing vocalists. Just a piano accompanied the backing vocalists, as Thelma delivers one of her finest vocals on Thelma Houston. It’s a spine-tingling performance, made all the better by the backing vocalists. The addition of bursts of blazing horns which punctuate the arrangement seem the coupe de grace. That’s not the case. They’re joined by the rhythm section and lush strings as the impossible happens and things get even better and a glorious and totally irresistible slice of gospel music proves to the best track on Thelma Houston. Truly, it’s unrivaled for quality and is a totally spine-tingling performance.

The prolific and award-winning songwriting team of Barry Mann and Cynthia Weli cowrote Black California. With searing guitars, rhythm section and piano accompanying Thelma’s feisty vocal, she tells the story of an American dream gone sour. Having moved from the South in the search of a better, life California proves to  be a disappointment. Things are just as tough, with poverty and unemployment rife. Thelma’s delivery is full of emotion and frustration, while the arrangement is powerful and dramatic. Horns growl, drums pound and harmonies sweep in, as Thelma tells this bittersweet story with feeling, frustration and anger.

Like several other tracks on Thelma Houston, And I Never Did starts with an understated arrangement, but quickly grows in power, drama and emotion. A lone piano is joined by melancholy strings, while Thelma’s vocal is tinged with sadness. Cooing harmonies and the rhythm section join and the arrangement grows in drama and power. Thelma’s delivery is heartfelt and impassioned, laden with emotion and sadness as the track reaches its wistful, dramatic ending.

Blackberries is another track where Thelma’s gospel roots shine through. With lyrics have a spiritual meaning and Thelma’s delivery is full of sincerity and emotion. The arrangement is very much a case of from little acorns. An understated arrangement grows to one of almost biblical proportions. A piano, rhythm section, guitars and strings combine to create this thunderous arrangement. Meanwhile Thelma delivers a powerful vocal where she articulates the songs subtleties and nuances with feeling and meaning.

Closing Thelma Houston is And I Thought You Loved Me. Given how important it is to bookend an album, this is the perfect song to close the album. I always feel that it’s vital to close an album on a high, meaning the listener wants to hear more. This is the case here, as the track almost bursts into life from its opening bars. Growling horns join pounding drums and sizzling guitars while Thelma’s vocal has a country influence. Her delivery is deliberate and dramatic, matched every step of the way by the horns, rhythm section and riffing guitars. Backing vocalists add to the finishing touches to this dramatic track. Their vocals soar high is display of soulfulness as they help Thelma bring her sophomore album and close her MoWest debut Thelma Houston leaving you wanting more, much more.

After listen to Thelma Houston’s sophomore album and MoWest debut Thelma Houston, you’ll find yourself wondering why it wasn’t a commercial success. Maybe it wasn’t promoted well enough, but considering MoWest was a new label launched by Motown this would be surprising and indeed disappointing. Surely, any label launching a new label would want to give their releases every chance of success? However, as regular readers of this blog will realize, this often happens. An artist releases an album, to very little, if any commercial success, yet years, even decades later, it becomes a minor classic.

Now forty years after its initial release, Thelma Houston has become something a prized album among record collectors and soul connoisseurs alike. That’s not surprising, given the quality of music on Thelma Houston. Truly, there’s not a bad track on the album, with Thelma flitting seamlessly between styles. Whether it’s soul, country or rock, she’s just as comfortable. Accompanied by a tight, talented band that breeze their way through the ten tracks, Thelma delivers some blistering vocals, that range from emotive, heartfelt and impassioned right through to feisty and fiery. Whichever emotion the song requires, Thelma delivers it with style and panache. So good are the vocals on Thelma Houston, that it’s even more of a mystery why the album failed commercially? Having failed commercially, Thelma Houston has never been rereleased..until now. 

After being unavailable since its release in 1972, forty long years, ago Thelma Houston gets a welcome rerelease by SoulMusic Records. They will rerelease Thelma Houston as The MoWest Album on 23rd October 2012. Not only does The MoWest Album feature the ten tracks on the original American release of Thelma Houston, but the four additional tracks that featured on the fourteen track UK version, plus five other bonus tracks. For anyone who loves their music soulful, or just appreciates great music, then the rerelease of The MoWest Album is essential listening and will be a very welcome reissue. The MoWest Album will also show another side to Thelma Houston’s music, especially for anyone who only knows her as a disco diva. Standout Tracks: Me And Bobby McGee, I’m Letting Go, There Is A God and Black California.

THELMA HOUSTON-THE MOWEST ALBUM.