Spanky Wilson - Westbound Years (CD)

All Music Guide

Everything that could be dug up from Spanky Wilson's mid1970s stint at Westbound Records is on this 18track compilation, including all ten tracks from her 1975 Specialty of the House LP; two cuts that surfaced many years later on CD compilations; and six previously unreleased items retrieved from the vaults. It adds up to a respectable, but not exciting, collection of material by a versatile singer whose jazzpop leanings are evident in some of the tunes and performances, yet who is reasonably comfortable with numbers that call for more standard soulfunk stylings. Wilson might be a little too talented to deserve the "journeywoman" sticker, but nonetheless this music isn't much above that label, offering fair earlytomid1970s soul that's a little less slick than much such fare of the period, almost entirely steering clear of any hints of disco. For the most part, the best cuts are actually those that depart a little from the mainstream soul format, like a satisfyingly funky take on Bill W...ithers' "Kissing My Love" and a chance to revisit her somewhat jazzpoppier origins on "Home." Some of the cuts not released at the time gave her opportunities to try out some unexpected material, like her earthy take on Harlan Howard's "He Called Me Baby" and her cover of Lesley Duncan's "Love Song" (made more famous by Elton John). The discofied version of Howard's "The Chokin' Kind" was a bad idea, however. - Richie Unterberger, All Music Guide Read more Less