LaBelle - Pressure Cookin' (1973) [2014]

Artist: LaBelle
Title Of Album: Pressure Cookin'[Remastered]
Year Of Release: 2014 (1973)
Label (Catalog#): Soul Music.com Records [SMCR 5123]
Country: USA
Genre: Disco, Funk / Soul, R&B
Quality: FLAC (tracks+.cue+.log, scans)
Bitrate: Lossless
Time: 40:24
Full Size: 440 MB

Originally the quartet Patti LaBelle & The Bluebelles (Sarah Dash, Nona Hendryx and Cindy Birdsong – before Birdsong’s departure made it a trio), the transformation from bouffant wigs and the reworking on standards such as “Over The Rainbow” and “You’ll Never Walk Alone” to a futuristic, space-age-clad trio of high-powered vocalists finally took hold with the 1973 release of Labelle’s sole album for RCA Records, PRESSURE COOKIN.’
The transition from ‘60s girl group to ‘70s funk’n’soul sisters had been masterminded by former British TV producer Vicki Wickham who oversaw the production of the production of Labelle’s recordings for Track Records and two albums for Warner Brothers (a self-titled 1971 set and 1972’s “Moonshadow”). PRESSURE COOKIN’ boasted seven compositions by Hendryx including the now-classic “(Can I Speak To You Before You Go To) Hollywood?” which became a staple of the trio’s dynamic live performances.
Stevie Wonder penned the album’s lone single, “Open Up Your Heart” as well as co-producing the track and “Going On A Holiday” (although uncredited for contractual reasons on both cuts). PRESSURE COOKIN’ also included an inspiring medley of Thunderclap Newman’s “Something In The Air” and Gil Scott-Heron’s timeless “The Revolution Will Not Be Televised.”
Originally reissued in the US in 2010, the CD has been generally unavailable for the last few years and includes notes by renowned US writer A. Scott Galloway, edited from the original 2010 essay with quotes from Vicki Wickham, Nona Hendryx and Sarah Dash.

Tracklist:

1 Pressure Cookin'
2 Medley: Something in the Air / The Revolution Will Not Be Televised
3 Sunshine (Woke Me up This Morning
4 (Can I Speak to You Before You Go To) Hollywood
5 Mr. Music Man
6 Goin' on a Holiday
7 Let Me See You in the Light
8 Open up Your Heart
9 Last Dance