Robert Christgau: Dean of American Rock Critics

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The Ruffin Brothers

  • I Am My Brother's Keeper [Soul, 1970] B

Consumer Guide Reviews:

I Am My Brother's Keeper [Soul, 1970]
The Mississippi-bred Ruffins are as close as Motown gets to Southern soul, so it's probably geography that makes their approach more Sam & Dave than James & Bobby Purify--all growling melismatics, with Jimmy's higher and much narrower timbre providing sweet relief from David's rough power. And for once in Motown's life there are a lot of good covers--from Ben E. King, Jerry Butler, even the Delfonics (even James Taylor). B