THE MIRACLES-MIRACLES.

dereksmusicblog ♦ October 26, 2012 ♦ Leave a comment

THE MIRACLES-MIRACLES.

Having done the unthinkable and left Motown after fifteen years, twenty albums and several changes of lineup, The Miracles signed to Columbia and released Love Crazy in 1977. When Love Crazy was released in 1978, it reached number 117 in the US Billboard 200 and number nine in the US R&B Charts. While Love Crazy didn’t recapture the success of The Miracles earlier albums, it was an improvement in their final Motown album The Power of Love. However, by 1977 music was very different to when The Miracles were at the height of the commercial success. By 1977, disco was at the height of its popularity. Soul singers and soul groups were no longer as popular as they been earlier in the decade. Indeed, many soul singers had jumped on disco’s bandwagon, for fear of being left behind. This changing musical landscape possibly explained why Love Crazy didn’t see The Miracles recapturing their earlier success. Another change was The Miracles’ lineup. SInce they’d been founded, members had come and gone. Brothers Billy and Donald Griffin were the latest members to join The Miracles. Both had been members for several years, with Billy replacing Smokey Robinson. Donald had joined in 1977, with Love Crazy his Miracles debut. For the followup to Love Crazy, 1978s The Miracles, which was recently rereleased by SoulMusic Records this was crunch time for The Miracles. It was literally twist or bust. The Miracles had signed a two-album deal with Columbia and The Miracles was album number two. If the album wasn’t a commercial success, it could mean that The Miracles were without a record company. However, things took an unexpected twist for The Miracles when they released Miracles. What happened is a remarkable story and is a case of a lost opportunity.

After the Love Crazy’s disappointing sales, Columbia started to have second thoughts about The Miracles. Another problem was The Miracles had changed their legal advisers from the ones who’d made the deal with Columbia. This caused bad feeling. On top of all this, there was still the fallout from a track on Love Crazy, Spy For the Brotherhood. Some people seemed to perceive The Miracles as subversives or radicals, rather than just some guys trying to create some soulful sounds.It was against this backdrop that work began on Miracles. Pete Moore joined Billy and Donald Griffin in writing the eight tracks that became Miracles. Once they’d written the eight tracks, recording could place.

For the recording of Miracles, The Miracles were joined by a band that included a rhythm section of drummer Nathan Pounds, bassist Raymond Pounds and Donald Griffin on guitar. Billy Griffin also played guitar, while David Foster, Larry Nash, Michael Boddicker and Stevie Wonder played keyboards. Dorothy Ashby was another guest artist. She was drafted in to play harp on Sad Rain. Like Love Crazy, Pete Moore produced Miracles. Now Miracles was complete, it would only end up being released in one country…The Netherlands.

By the time Miracles was ready to release, the world was a much, much smaller world for The Miracles. Their dispute with Columbia had escalated to such an extent that Columbia blackballed The Miracles. They were unable to release Miracles in any territory apart from one… The Netherlands. Only Mean Machine was released as a single in 1978, reaching just number fifty-five in the US R&B Charts. For Pete Moore,  not releasing Miracles was a missed opportunity. He believed Miracles was a strong collection of songs, which with the right promotion, might have given The Miracles a hit album. Was he right? That’s what I’ll tell you, once I’ve told you about the music on Miracles.

Opening Miracles is I Can’t Stand It, the perfect track to open the album. It’s an uptempo dancer with a funky side. A bass and percussion combine before Billy’s joins and the track bursts into life. The rhythm section provide the funk, while lush strings dance joyously and join Billy’s emotive, soaring vocal. Tender harmonies augment Billy’s vocal which later, grows in power, becoming a sassy vamp. With the strings and funky rhythm section for company, The Miracles create an infectiously catchy track that has a real Philly influence. If the rest of Miracles is as good as this track, then this is a real hidden gem of an album.

Love Doctor sees The Miracles pick up where they left off on the previous track. Cascading strings, growling horns, chiming guitars and the rhythm section combine with Billy’s punchy, feisty vocal. Tight, punchy harmonies drift in and out, while lush strings are ever-present and the rhythm section create the track’s dance-floor friendly heartbeat. Guitars licks punctuate the arrangement as Billy’s mixes power and passion as Billy vamps his way through the track. The rest of The Miracles don’t let the side down, unleashing some of their tightest and most soulful harmonies on a track that’s dance-floor friendly and has hooks aplenty.

There’s a drop in tempo when The Magic of Your Eyes (Laura’s Eyes) begins. Just heartfelt harmonies join a subtle combination of keyboards and percussion. When the rhythm section join, they play with a similar subtlety. It’s as if they’re ensuring they don’t overpower the beautiful harmonies. When the arrangement grows in power and meanders gently, the harmonies soar elegantly, unfolding in dramatic waves. This is very effective and quite beautiful and shows another side to The Miracles’ music.

Freeway has a tougher, funkier edge and sound from the opening bars. The rhythm section are joined by synths and guitars in providing this tougher, funkier sound. Raymond Pounds’ slapped bass is at the heart of action as are synths which are used in a way that helps the arrangement. Too often, synths produce a sound that doesn’t age well and sounds artificial, sterile and cold. Not here. Billy’s vocal is all whoops and hollers, before delivering a feisty, punchy vocal. Harmonies are delivered in an equally punchy style, against an arrangement where there’s neither a shortness of drama nor funk.

Hot Dance sees The Miracles unleash another slice of good-time, funky music. It sounds like a party in the studio when the rhythm section and percussion combine. Then Raymond Pounds’ slapped bass helps drive the track along. He has keyboards, percussion, pounding drums and Billy’s sassy, feisty vocal for company. The rest of The Miracles add subtle harmonies as Billy vamps his way through the track. This he does against an arrangement where funk, disco and Latin music unite as one to create a driving slice of good-time, funky music.

Mean Machine was the only single released from Miracles and is another of the funky tracks. Straight away, there’s shades of James Brown, The Temptations psychedelic era and The Jacksons. After a quick curveball, Billy’s whoops and hollers as horns blaze and the rhythm section create the track’s pounding, dramatic and funky heartbeat. Billy’s vocal is a mixture of subtlety, power and plenty of drama when he unleashes a vamp. He’s accompanied by tight, tender harmonies remind me of The Jacksons. Blazing horns are like something from a James Brown track. Later a growling saxophone solo adds to the finishing touch to an uber funky track with The Miracles as you’ve never heard them before. 

Sad Rain sees The Miracles return to a much more mellow, soulful sound. Just keyboards, a subtle rhythm section and flourishes of Dorothy Ashby’s horn accompany Billy’s tender, heartfelt vocal. Harmonies are equally tender and slow, lush strings add to the beauty and emotion of this gorgeous track. Quite simply, it’s the most beautiful track on Miracles.

Reach For the Sky sees The Miracles close Miracles on a high. This track bookends the album perfectly, given it has similar qualities to the opening track, in that its an uptempo dancer where funk, soul and disco unite. A whoop from Billy gives way to a driving rhythm section, piano and percussion. Billy’s vocal is a fusion of power and joy, with urgent harmonies accompanying him. Synths and keyboards combine as the tempo and drama builds. The only thing missing is strings which would make the track. Indeed replacing the synths with strings would be a masterstroke. Even without the strings The Miracles bring Miracles to a memorable close.

Columbia’s dispute with The Miracles could’ve been costly. By blackballing The Miracles and stopping them releasing Miracles, Columbia could’ve missed out on a successful album. The reason for this is quite simple and that’s the music. On Miracles, The Miracles fused soul, funk and disco, producing an album that was current and relevant. Miracles was relevant to the music of 1978 and the sound was what was popular back then. Unlike other soul singers or groups, who chose neither  to adapt nor evolve their music, The Miracles had recorded an album that was laden with hooks and dance-floor friendly. Not only that, but Miracles featured some great tracks. Of the eight tracks, Can’t Stand It and Love Doctor are the two best dance tracks, while Mean Machine is quite simply The Miracles at their funky best. Two very beautiful tracks are The Magic of Your Eyes (Laura’s Eyes) and Sad Rain, the most beautiful song on Miracles. So, given how good the music on Miracles is, Columbia’s decision to blackball The Miracles and stop them releasing Miracles may have cost themselves and The Miracles a hit album. Who knows, maybe Miracles which was recently released by SoulMusic Records, would’ve revitalised The Miracles career. Instead, frustrated, disappointed and who would’ve blamed them, embittered by the intransigence of their label The Miracles called time on the group. 

After nearly two decades, The Miracles were no more. That marked the end of an era. While The Miracles would reform with new members joining former members, this marked the end of an era. If only things had been different and Miracles had been rereleased, then maybe, this would’ve revitalized The Miracles’ career. At least they went out on a high, with what’s quite simply, a hidden gem of an album Miracles. Standout Tracks: Can’t Stand It, Love Doctor, The Magic of Your Eyes (Laura’s Eyes) and Sad Rain.

THE MIRACLES-MIRACLES.