What The Critics Say
The great soul duo of Sam Moore and Dave Prater made a gallant attempt at a comeback with this mid-'70s release, but the times had changed dramatically, and there wasn't much demand on the urban contemporary horizon for an aging Southern soul duo. Their harmonies were still solid, although the leads and shared vocals were a little on the faded side. It was great to hear the two singing together again, but the combination of changed audience tastes and uneven material proved too much of an obstacle for Sam & Dave to get back in the spotlight. ~ Ron Wynn, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Issued in 1968 after the mega hits, "Hold On, I'm Comin'" and "Soul Man," Sam & Dave became interested in the emerging funk sounds happening throughout the R&B scene. Thankfully, so was the writing team of Isaac Hayes and David Porter, who wrote one of he singles from this set, the burning, gritty "I Thank You." Many don't see I Thank You as such a strong recording in contrast to the pair's earlier showings, but simply put, they're wrong. Hayes' production is ambitious, multi-dimensional, and pointedly accents the individual strengths of both singers. Check out the contrast in vocal styles on "Everybody Got to Believe in Somebody." Hayes puts them front and center and surrounds them with a rich, swirling string arrangement. The hit from the album is the wooly groover "Wrap It Up," where the pair rise above a killer Memphis Horn arrangement and Steve Cropper's funky guitar to wail in call and response on the choruses. The greasy, grainy, in-the-pocket instrumental production on "Ain't That a Lot of Love" lends itself to the rough-and-tumble execution by Sam & Dave; this is the kind of track they must have had a ball recording. It is one of the many great under-heard tunes in the pair's catalog. I Thank You stands the test of time very well. ~ Thom Jurek, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Because R&B was such a singles-driven market in the 1960s, many albums released by Stax and Motown were big on filler. But that generally wasn't the case with Sam & Dave's albums, which boasted many gems that weren't released as singles and enjoyed little, if any, radio airplay. Listeners may be surprised to learn that as popular as this twosome was in 1967, Soul Men contains only one major single: the anthemic title song and its B-side, the charming "May I Baby." Among the first-class album tracks never released as singles were "Rich Kind of Poverty," the punchy "Hold It Baby," and the gospel-drenched ballads "Just Keep Holding On" and "I've Seen What Loneliness Can Do." As was customary, the team of Isaac Hayes and David Porter wrote the hits, and Hayes' production was so utterly sympathetic in capturing the tough, swaggering singing styles of both Sam Moore and David Prater that he surrounded them with punchy, driving arrangements by the Memphis Horns, Booker T. & the MG's, and the studio aces at Stax. Hayes pushed the level into the red on a number of these tunes, making for dynamite performances from the duo. This is one of these records that feels live because of its crackling energy. For those with more than a casual interest in Memphis soul, Soul Men is highly recommended. ~ Alex Henderson and Thom Jurek, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
When the Northern soulsters of Motown were employing strings and pop elements, Sam & Dave rejected pop wholesale and made sure they kept their Memphis soul simple and raw. Their albums never sounded heavily produced, and therein lies much of the appeal of Hold on, I'm Comin' (their first album for Atlantic). This duo didn't believe in hiding behind lavish productions. Like the blues and gospel artists who paved the way for soul music, Sam & Dave knew how to seize the moment. From such major hits as "You Don't Know Like I Know" and the title song to solid album tracks like the riveting "It's a Wonder" and the tough yet vulnerable ballad "Just Me," this album epitomizes Memphis soul in all its unpretentious, down-home glory. [A song-for-song reissue of the original LP, the CD version of Hold on, I'm Comin' that Atlantic put out in 1991 is rather skimpy by CD standards (as are the CD versions of Soul Men and I Thank You). Certainly, Atlantic could have provided some bonus tracks. In 2006, the Collectables label gave it a straight reissue again.] ~ Alex Henderson and Thom Jurek, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
This was the second Sam & Dave album to enjoy significant crossover appeal. The 1967 record included such hits as "Said I Wasn't Gonna Tell Nobody," "Soothe Me," and "When Something Is Wrong with My Baby." Isaac Hayes and David Porter were now rolling as songwriters, and even though the record didn't attain big pop numbers, the singles clicked with both soul and pop audiences. More importantly, Sam & Dave's teamwork and vocal interaction were establishing them as major stars. ~ Ron Wynn, All Music Guide
