Wilson Pickett Albums (15)
What The Critics Say
Surely no one was expecting a "quiet storm" album from Wilson Pickett in 1968, and that sure isn't what they got with I'm in Love, but the Wicked Pickett sounds a lot more convincing on this album's romantic numbers than anyone would have had a right to expect from one of the baddest cats of Southern soul. Of course, there aren't all that many romantic ballads here, but Pickett's rough-and-ready soul shouting manages to sound just as convincing on "Bring It On Home to Me" and "That Kind of Love" as he does on the pained "Jealous Love" and a properly intense rip through "Stagger Lee." Pickett makes the most of the songwriting contributions from frequent collaborators Bobby Womack and Don Covay, while Tommy Cogbill and his crew of Muscle Shoals session heavyweights offer music which keeps up with Pickett for guts, soul, and drive -- no small statement, considering Pickett's richly deserved reputation as one of the strongest and most consistent artists of the period. Like most R&B albums of the period, I'm in Love sounds more like a set of tunes than a unified album, but it's a good set of tunes, performed with Pickett's usual high level of passion and skill, and if you're any kind of fan you'll revel in it. ~ Mark Deming, All Music Guide
'It's Harder Now'
Release Date 9/14/1999
Tracks 11
Label Bullseye Blues
See Album Tracklist and Review
What The Critics Say
Most modern-day soul albums, especially those of the comeback variety, usually fall several steps short of their goal; the production is some sort of mummified "this-is-how-the-old-records-sounded" rehash, the band (while playing very competently) just lays there flat and lifeless, and the singers always sound about ten squares past their prime. A nice little trip down nostalgia lane, perhaps, but if you're going to compare this to their best work from the late '50s to mid-'60s, the new recordings just don't stack up, no way. But here's the album that proves to be a major league exception to the rule. It took Wilson Pickett something like 12 years to get around to making another record, but it definitely was worth the wait. Pickett is in top form on It's Harder Now, with a brand new batch of tunes, almost all of them co-written by producer-guitarist-bandleader Jon Tiven, with the Wicked One contributing to five of the 11 tunes onboard. His sore-throated howl is still mightily intact, even in the falsetto regions (yep, he can still hit those high screeches that fueled his best work on Atlantic), and his energy and instincts are as finely tuned as ever. Modern-day soul albums are seldom very rewarding, but this one is and then some. It's a comeback album that exceeds all expectations and acts as proof that Pickett is still wicked heading into the 21st century. Lovers of real soul music should add this one to their shopping list; it'll make you dance. ~ Cub Koda, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Wilson Pickett kept trying with RCA, going back to them in the mid-'70s after scoring one more hit album with Atlantic. He tried doing material with less soul and more pop production touches, toned down the familiar screams and cries, and stuck more to the melody. The results were unsatisfying all around. ~ Ron Wynn, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
This is a two-LP reissue of a live 1973 performance, with pictures, lyrics and additional information in Japanese. Along with such classics as "Don't Let the Green Grass Fool You," "Midnight Hour," "I Found a Love," "Mustang Sally," and "Land of 1,000 Dances," there are also a few curiosities, such as "Sugar, Sugar," "Never My Love," and "Glory Hallelujah," done in the inimitable Pickett style. The sound is very good, and the band is a solid soulful unit (not disco, thank God), making this a necessity for the soul collector. ~ Myles Boisen, Roots & Rhythm Newsletter, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
A funny title, and a little bit better material and production for yet another Pickett attempt on RCA. He got a couple of chart hits, although the album itself didn't fare well. But it just wasn't the same; no longer was he roaring and belting out lyrics over a driving beat. Instead, he seemed like a mellow, almost restrained pop/soul type. ~ Ron Wynn, All Music Guide
'Wilson Pickett in Philadelphia'
Release Date 1/1/1970
Tracks 12
Label Atlantic
See Album Tracklist and Review
What The Critics Say
After cutting most of his hits in the laid-back but gritty environs of the Deep South (most notably Memphis and Muscle Shoals), in 1970 Wilson Pickett decided to move with the times and headed to Philadelphia, where his raw, bigger-than-life vocals were paired with the higher-gloss funk of songwriters and producers Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff. It may not have seemed like an ideal match on paper, but in the studio the results were inspired; on Wilson Pickett in Philadelphia, Gamble and Huff kept the studio band on the good foot at all times, and Pickett's always passionate and forceful performance added whatever grease that might have been missing from the Philly session cats. (Not that they sound lacking in spirit, as Pickett inspires fiery performances from the band on cuts like "Engine, Engine Number 9" and "Run, Joey, Run".) While a few of the songs aren't quite up to snuff (especially the just-plain-silly "International Playboy"), and Pickett sound a lot better when he's tom-catting than when he's lovelorn (as on "Help The Needy"), the star still fires on all cylinders regardless of the material, and Gamble and Huff create first-class accommodations for his performances without losing touch with Pickett's gritty soul in the process. Wilson Pickett in Philadelphia was one of his last truly memorable sets for Atlantic Records; in 1973, he'd leave the label for RCA Victor, and his career as an R&B hit-maker would never truly recover. ~ Mark Deming, All Music Guide
