Consumer Guide Album

Barry White: I've Got So Much to Give [20th Century, 1973]
White's hustle is to combine Isaac Hayes's power with Al Green's niceness, and he succeeds, in his way, but the synthesis has its drawbacks--tends to compound his humorlessness and mendacity as well. But as a fait accompli he has quite a bit of silly charm, and does he lay down some powerful tracks. Nor is his style as far removed from soul music as white soul conservatives (myself included) first assumed--the bass pulse has a Latin oomph undiminished by its fat-man's pace. And is that a barrelhouse harpsichord on "Bring Back My Yesterdays"? Very, er, eclectic. B