Wilson Pickett - 'The Complete Atlantic Albums Collection'

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Wilson Pickett’s recording career didn’t begin at Atlantic Records. Instead, he achieved three charting R&B singles for Harold Logan and Lloyd Price’s independent label, Double-L, in the early 1960s. However, it was Atlantic Records that truly propelled his musical career, enabling him to reach a broader audience and gain mainstream recognition.

Wilson's tenure with the Atlantic Records label lasted seven years, from 1965 to 1972.  During that time he racked up almost fifty charting singles and released ten albums, which can all be found in 'The Complete Atlantic Albums Collection'.

This box set captures Wilson Pickett during a prolific seven-year period when he was at the height of his musical prowess.  Each album in the set is solid and well-crafted, with hardly any "filler" whatsoever.

Wilson Pickett – The Complete Atlantic Albums Collection is a 10CD set, that was released in 2017.  It has replica mini LP sleeves in a clam shell-style box.  These recordings have never sounded better.  Surprisingly, there's no booklet. 

Given that "In The Midnight Hour" was Pickett’s debut smash for Atlantic Records, it was no surprise that his inaugural album for the label had the same title.  Though just 24 at the time, in terms of his searing vocal performances and magnetic stage presence, he seemed much older than his years.  That was probably due to the experience he gained from his apprenticeship in the Detroit R&B band, The Falcons.  Other highlights of his Atlantic debut album, which,was recorded at Stax studios in Memphis, included the hits "Don’t Fight It" and "I Found A Love".

Pickett’s next album, 1966’s 'The Exciting Wilson Pickett', featured the classic hits "634-5789 (Soulsville USA)" and "Land Of 1,000 Dances". The album was recorded at Fame studios in Alabama and did better than his debut.

1967's 'The Wicked Pickett' was another hit album packed with gems, among them the perennial favorite, "Mustang Sally"

'The Sound Of Wilson Pickett' also from 1967 included the chart-topping single, "Funky Broadway".

On 'I'm In Love', released in 1968, Wilson covered four Bobby Womack songs, including the gentle title cut that was a Top 5 US R&B hit.  The album showed that Pickett was more than a soul shouter, and could play the role of accomplished balladeer as well.

Wilson's second album of 1968, 'Midnight Mover', also had considerable input from Pickett’s songwriting buddy, Bobby Womack, again, and they wrote the LP’s strutting title track together.  The Womack-co-penned "I Found A True Love" is also another high point on the LP with its raucous energy and Pickett’s blood-curdling screams.

Up to this point, all of Wilson Pickett’s Atlantic LPs had charted in the Top 10 of the US R&B albums, but 1969’s ‘Hey Jude,’ could only make #15.  Its title song was a mellow, soul-infused cover of The Beatles’ epic 1968 ballad, complete with the "Na-Na-Na" sing-along chorus at the end, with Pickett wailing over the top like a banshee.  The growing influence of rock can be felt on an energized cover of Steppenwolf’s counterculture anthem, "Born To Be Wild", which expressed a sentiment that the volatile Wilson Pickett could no doubt relate to.  Another highlight of the album is Duane Allman's guitar.  Fun fact: at one point during the sessions, Duane dosed the water cooler with mescaline.

1970’s ‘Right On’ album also found Wilson tackling rock with Jimi Hendrix’s ‘Hey Joe’, and pop in the form of The Archies' "Sugar Sugar", which some critics and fans perceived as a sign that the singer was losing his way.

Just when Wilson Pickett’s career seemed to be losing momentum and direction, he unleashed a masterpiece in the shape of 'In Philadelphia' recorded under the direction of rising production duo, Kenneth Gamble and Leon Huff, who had produced hits for Jerry Butler in the late-’60s and would go on to found Philadelphia International Records in 1972.  In terms of its production and lush orchestral arrangements, 'In Philadelphia' was eminently more sophisticated than his previous LPs.  Yielding the memorable hits "Engine No. 9" and the searing ballad, "Don’t Let The Green Grass Fool You", it proved to be one of Pickett’s most cohesive artistic statements and still sounds potent today.

The final album in the collection is 1972’s 'Don’t Knock My Love', which mopped up earlier singles, 1971’s R&B chart-topping title cut and the top 10 hit, "Call My Name, I’ll Be There".  The album also included an R&B reconfiguration of British blues-rockers Free’s "Fire & Water"

After this, Wilson Pickett moved to the RCA label in 1973, but it signalled the start of an artistic decline from which he never truly recovered.  When the disco era came along, it put a stop to any chances of a full-blown career renaissance.

Link
https://workupload.com/file/SHUJnwBwrv6