Genre: soul
Rating: 3 stars ***
Title: Love Maze
Company: We Produce
Catalog: XPS-1905
Year: 1973
Country/State: Memphis, Tennessee
Grade (cover/record): VG+ / VG
Comments: minor hiss on a couple of slower tracks; no skips
Available: 1
Catalog ID: 6178
Price: $20.00
Produced by Jo Bridges, Lester Snell, and Tom Nixon, the group's sophomore album "Love Maze" wasn't a major change in direction for the soul trio. While not meant as a criticism, musically William Johnson, Jasper Phillips, and Harold Scott didn't sound all that different from scores of other mid-1970s soul vocal groups (think along the lines of the Chi-Lites, The Delfonics, The Dramatics, and The Stylistics). Yeah, the occasional Stax horn arrangement ('Wrap Me In Love') was a little different, but the trio's emphasis on slow churn ballads and close-knit group harmonies was pretty standard. That also meant folks buying a Temprees album already knew what to expect. That probably puts me in the minority with respect to this album. While ballads such as the title track, 'Let Me Be the One', and their Paul Simon cover 'Something So Right' were all okay (the latter was actually wonderful), it was the atypical performances that captured by attention - namely up-tempo numbers like 'Wrap Me In Love' and 'At Last'. I'll also admit these guys generated some of the finest harmony vocals in the business.
left to right: Harold Scott - Jasper Phillips - William Johnson
- With Jasper Phillips on lead vocals, 'Love Maze' was a classic, steamy, old-school heartbreak ballad. To my ears Phillips leads were frequently over-emotive and shrill (certainly the case on this one), but the song was so good (particularly William Johnson and Harold Scott's backing vocals), that you were forced to overlook those other shortcomings. Perhaps the ultimate compliment, I saw a review of the song where someone labeled it a 'panty dropper' ... made me laugh. Easy to see why this one was tapped as the leadoff single. rating: *** stars
- The Temprees were never known for their up-tempo work, which was a shame since 'Wrap Me In Love' was one of the album's showstoppers. Kicked along by some tasty Steve Cropper-styled lead guitar and nice Stax-styled horns, this one would have made a killer single. Phillips sounded like Eddie Lavert this time out. One of my picks for standout performance. rating: **** stars
- 'I'd argue 'Let Me Be the One' was a better ballad than the title track. To my ears the song had a stronger melody than the former and served as a stronger showcase for the trio's harmony vocals. 'Course that's why I'm not a promo man. rating: **** stars
- I have to admit that I've always liked their smoothed-out cover of 'Paul Simon's 'Something So Right'. Simon's original remains the classic version, but it always struck me as being a bit raw and not particularly melodic. The Temprees took care of both of those shortcomings here. rating: *** stars
- Another up-tempo number, 'At Last' featured a nifty mini-Moog riff that clawed its way into your head and wouldn't leave. With an uplifting, breezy melody, this one has always reminded me of something The Staple Singers would have recorded. Great track. We Produced tapped it as the album's second single. rating: **** stars
- 'You Make the Sunshine' started side two with another big ballad. The trouble with this one was the fact it never really kicked into gear, rather just kind of dragged along with Phillips wandering here and there without any real direction. We Produced tapped the song as the album's third single. rating: ** stars
- The swinging 'You Make Me Love You' found the trio melding Al Green-styled sexiness with a great melody and those fabulous backing harmonies. Why in the world didn't We Produce hit this one as a single ??? rating: **** stars
- 'Come Y'all' (co-penned by Cleophas Fulz - love the name), found The Temprees taking a stab at hardcore funk !!! Seriously. And guess what ... the results were first rate. With Philips turning in his best Al Green impression and some tasty Stax horns, this was a lost classic. rating: **** stars
- 'Trust In Me' was another pretty ballad, but other than the flanged guitar effect *which always reminded me of David Gates and Bread), simply lacked anything to make it memorable. Five minutes after hearing it I couldn't remember a thing about it. rating: ** stars
- I grew up with The Stylistics classic cover so that's the baseline for all comparisons. The Temprees version slowed the track down, adding some horns, and giving a bit more emphasis to Linda Creed's surprisingly activist lyrics. All-in-all a nice cover, though it starts to overstay its welcome towards the end of the six and a half minutes. rating: **** stars
The album was tapped for three singles:
- 1972's 'Love's Maze' b/w 'Wrap Me In Love' (We Produce XPA-1811)
- 1973's 'At Last' b/w 'Love... Can Be So Wonderful' (We Produce XPA-1812)
- 1973's 'You Make The Sunshine' b/w 'You Make Me Love You' (We Produce XPA-1811)
So as a package I guess I'd put this one in the middle of The Temprees stack. Not the best, not the worst.
YouTube has a couple of television performances featuring material from the LP:
'Love Maze' on Soul Train
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZGeCh_OSsrg
'Wrap Me In Love' on Soul Train
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7KCxJ7tkKYY
"Love Maze" track listing:
(side 1)
1.) Love's Maze (Harold Scott) - 5:21
2.) Wrap Me In Love (Mack Rice - Mary Williams) - 2:32
3.) Let Me Be the One (Paul Williams - Roger Nichols) - 4:09
4.) Something So Right (Paul Simon) - 6:03
5.) At Last (Harry Warren - Mack Gordon) - 2:57
(side 2)
1.) You Make the Sunshine (Leon Moore) - 4:56
2.) You Make Me Love You (Leon Moore) - 3:12
3.) Come Y'all (Leon Moore - Cleophas Fulz) - 4:10
4.) Trust In Me (Ned Weaver - Milton Ager - Gene Schwartz) - 3:48
5.) People Make the World Go Round (Tom Bell - Linda Creed) - 6:37
