When ace songwriting team, Holland-Dozier-Holland, quit Motown after a dispute over royalties in 1967, they wasted no time in setting up their own Detroit-based label in a bid to rival Berry Gordy’s burgeoning music empire. The first act they signed to their newly-birthed Invictus label was a vocal quartet led by Virginia-born singer, General Norman Johnson, which they christened Chairmen Of the Board. Johnson’s slightly nasal and vibrato-heavy voice gave the group a distinctive sound and in January 1970, they had a big international hit on their hands in the shape of their anthemic Motown-esque debut 45, ‘Give Me Just A Little More Time.’ The parent album – which boasted the same title and also featured the catchy hit ‘You’ve Got Me Dangling On A String’ and the group’s rendering of the poignant song, ‘Patches,’ which later became an even bigger hit for Clarence Carter – has now been reissued as part of a 2-CD set. The package also includes the group’s second long player, ‘In Session’ (1971), together with two solo albums cut in 1972 by C.O.T.B. members General Johnson (‘Generally Speaking’) and Harrison Kennedy (‘Hypnotic Music’). It would have been more aesthetically pleasing, perhaps, if the two solo albums had appeared together on a separate CD in the set rather than being tagged on after each of the two Chairmen Of The Board albums. Even so, there’s no denying there’s some great music on offer here – the big Chairmen Of The Board hits still sound fresh and vibrant and even if Johnson’s and Kennedy’s solo efforts aren’t quite in the same league, the whole package (which also features copious liner notes from Tony Rounce) is worthy of attention from soul fans. Also look out for Edsel’s reissue of Chairmen Of The Board’s remaining Invictus albums in a similar twofer package called ‘Bittersweet + Skin I’m In…plus.’
4/5
