In the Midnight Hour

by

Wilson Pickett

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"Wicked" Wilson Pickett's debut, IN THE MIDNIGHT HOUR, is actually singles recorded between 1961-1965, these tracks compiled together make up the first record for the gritty singer's first time out. The Pickett is backed up here by the Stax band regulars and Steve Cropper plays out his distinctive lead guitar throughout in which helped develop the incredible sound of Otis Redding. You can hear this sound with the rhythm arrangements on the song, "For Better Or Worse", the album starts with, "In The Midnight Hour", then Wilson sings, "I Found A Love", "the wicked" flat out wails on this one, almost worth the price of admission alone. Nine of the twelve songs on here are written or co-written by Pickett and Cropper. In The Midnight Hour - is an early glimpse of this great artist, who with no doubt left a mark in the heart of hardcore soul, the only problem with this compilation is some of the material is weak, and the idea of doing a duet on your first record doesn't set right with me, (one song) the artist should do the whole show on the first time out, also the fact of a thrown together compilation on a debut album is to me "unorthodox", unless you're the Beatles after your tenth album, the audio is excellent on this collectibles cd, which is surprising, there is a slight problem (remastering) on the audio with Wilson Pickett's third cd - "the wicked". The Midnight Hour - 3 1/2 stars.)