Booker T. & the MG's Albums (13)
'That's the Way It Should Be'
Release Date 5/24/1994
Tracks 12
Label Sony
See Album Tracklist and Review
What The Critics Say
Booker T. & the MG's do what they do very well. What they do is present a spare, funky sound in which each instrument, drums (here played by Steve Jordan or James Gadson), bass, guitar, and organ, is heard distinctly, playing medium tempo melodies with slight variations. Precision is a key, and the result, while impressive, is anything but showy. Seventeen years since their last outing, the group exhibits the same qualities and the same limitations it did in its heyday. ~ William Ruhlmann, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Melting Pot could be the most well-realized of all the albums by Booker T. & the M.G.'s, a smooth and soulful, yet expansive 35 minutes of all originals, the latter in sharp contrast to their exploration of the Beatles' Abbey Road album material on their preceding album. And the irony was that it was their swan song. Booker T. Jones, in particular, was increasingly unhappy working at Stax/Volt Records, owing his feelings to management and structural changes at the company, and also felt the need to change the group's formula somewhat. Steve Cropper was playing lots of session work that was keeping him from recording in Memphis as well, and the result was an album recorded mostly in New York City, far away from Stax/Volt and largely built on the group's (especially Jones') best impulses. That said, Melting Pot managed to be a sort of back-to-the-roots effort in the sense that they were back to doing originals, but was also a strikingly more expansive record, with Jones in particular playing with an almost demonic intensity and range, backed ably by Donald "Duck" Dunn's rocksteady bass in particular. There were a few other touches, such as the wordless chorus on "Kinda Easy Like" and extended running times, showing the group stretching out on much larger musical canvases. ~ Bruce Eder, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Though Booker T. & the MG's had always been more of a singles act, they made a series of respectable long-players throughout the 1960s as well, culminating in the fine Melting Pot from 1971. Prior to recording that album, however, they assembled this Beatles homage, tackling an entire album from the Liverpool quartet. Rather than stroll down the Abbey Road they pay tribute to, however, organist Booker T. Jones, guitarist Steve Cropper, bassist Donald "Duck" Dunn, and drummer Al Jackson, Jr. strut down McLemore Avenue, the funky Memphis location of the equally legendary Stax studios. Most of the songs are arranged in a fluid medley style, maintaining the suite-like feel that unified the original. The results often veer toward a sort of funky muzak. Imagine, if you will, the sort of tunes you might have heard piped into the Stax offices or renditions offered up by a late-night lounge act. Following the introductory pairing of "Golden Slumbers" and "Carry That Weight," the quartet flexes its combined muscle on "The End," a performance complete with soloing from Cropper and heated organ bursts from Jones. It's all over far too quickly, however, lapsing into George Harrison's "Something" and bringing up the main problem with McLemore Avenue. As the backing band behind countless Stax classics, rhythm, rather than melody, has always been the MG's' strong suit. Thankfully, the Abbey Road material balances the schmaltzy sentimentality of tracks like "Golden Slumbers" and "Here Comes the Sun" with the tougher grooves of "The End" and "Come Together": songs that lend themselves much better to the MG's' approach. The quartet may have been better off stretching out on a few of these tracks, rather than rendering the bulk of the album. As it is, McLemore Avenue remains a curio for Booker T. and Beatles fans alike. ~ Nathan Bush, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Through the score of Booker T. Jones, the soundtrack to the 1968 Jules Dassin movie Uptight reflects the story of a young black man living in the ghetto during the turbulent time after the assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr. Containing the hit single "Time Is Tight," the soundtrack moves from soft and contemplative ("Children, Don't Get Weary") to driving and urgent ("Run Tank Run"). Though not one of Booker T. & the MG's' better albums, Uptight does contain the always exemplary musicianship that the MG's brought to their records, and it predates both the Superfly and Shaft soundtracks by three years. ~ Steve Kurutz, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
This 1968 album found the Memphis instrumental group running through the usual batch of then-current soul hit covers ("La La Means I Love You," "Be Young, Be Foolish, Be Happy"), pop tunes ("Eleanor Rigby," "Foxy Lady") and hits like "Hang 'Em High" and the title track in their own trademark style. Most interesting are the tracks where Booker T. switches over to piano and the band suddenly becomes a very jazzy outfit, like "Willow Weep for Me" and "Over Easy." One of the better albums in their discography. ~ Cub Koda, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Rhino once again put together a classy reissue from the vaults of Atlantic Records. Highlights from this solid album include the title track, "Let's Go Get Stoned," and "You Keep Me Hanging On." ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Still riding high years after the success of "Green Onions," Hip Hug-Her is another 11-song solid session of Southern soul delivered by one of the best bands in the business. In an attempt to appeal to the up-and-coming mod movement, the cover features an alluring model flanked by fashionable faceless people. But not to judge the album by its cover, Hip Hug-Her finds the group diving deeper into soulful territories, no doubt aided by the addition of bassist Duck Dunn to the fold. The title track is clearly one of the stronger cuts on the album, but other tunes such as the midtempo Motown anthem "Get Ready" and the group's interpretation of "Groovin'" make this one of the strongest full-lengths in the Booker T. & the MG's catalog. ~ Rob Theakston, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Booker T. and the MG's find the groove to come up with funky instrumentals of Yule classics "Jingle Bells," "Silver Bells," and the percolatin' "We Wish You a Merry Christmas." Steve Cropper makes his guitar sing on the down 'n' bluesy "Merry Christmas Baby." ~ Dennis MacDonald, All Music Guide
