The Spinners Band

The Spinners are an American rhythm and blues vocal group that formed in 1954 and are still active. They enjoyed a string of hit singles and albums during the 1960s and 1970s. Formed in Detroit, Michigan, the group still tours regularly as of 2015, although Henry Fambrough is the only remaining original member.



The Spinners
Despite forming in Detroit, The Spinners are the quintessential Philly Soul group. From the moment magnetic lead singer Philippe Wynne joined the band and they hooked up with legendary producer Thom Bell, they became the peak of the lush, romantic and heartfelt Philadelphia subset of soul music and churned out a staggering string of hits and killer records.

Recommended Listen:
The Spinners

Crash Course:
1. The Spinners
2. Pick of the Litter
3. Mighty Love

Compilation Replacement:
One of a Kind Love Affair: The Anthology

Signature Songs:
1. "Could It Be I'm Falling in Love"
2. "I'll Be Around"
3. "They Just Can't Stop It (The Games People Play)"
4. "Then Came You"
5. "The Rubberband Man"

Personal Note:
I know Spo will riot at not selecting Pick of the Litter (which is also outstanding) but the s/t, in my opinion, is even more solid as a record and contains so many of their signature songs that it's a no brainer. All of the crash course albums are phenomenal, but if you want to dig further their run of greatness also includes 2nd Time Around and New and Improved.

 

@OhTheWater You'd better be vocal this week. haha.

Also attn: @AelNire, your interest in The Stylistics makes me thing this band will be totally up your alley.

 

Hell yeah baby

 

Yes, yes I do riot and Honest I Do and It's A Shame are also essential tracks

 

It's so hard to narrow down to just 5, tbh

 

Fuck yeah.

 

I know you will dig these smooth soul jams

 

I don't know why I haven't dug around to find a group similar to The Stylistics. I'm liking what I'm hearing.

 

Philly soul is just so lush and warm. Feels like the good parts of being in love

 

Listened to New And Improved, which comes in between Mighty Love and Pick of the Litter. It's pretty gorgeous, I love Chris' description above about Philly Soul sounding like the "good parts of being in love". It's a beautiful little album, mixing the faster paced more dancable RnB songs, with the delicate ballads. It's very crisp and well produced, with lovely little string arrangements in the background that work really well.

The harmonies are fantastic, as you'd expect, particulalry on the duet "Then You Came", with Dione Warwick, with all the voices mixing well together fantastically for a choiral-esque effect. The album also contains the heartbreaking and tender, "Sadie".

I liked it a lot, nothing new or different from them, but a really good addition to their discography.

 

Listened to Happiness is Being With The Spinners, it's much of the same really, maybe a smidge bit lower in quality than New And Improved, but certainly in the same vein, with some mid-tempo tracks blended with some ballads. It has the super fun "Rubberband Man", which is basically impossible to listen to without a big grin. Definitely a bit silly, but manages to avoid being overly-cheesy.

They can do the more "serious" sort of stuff on here too, with "Toni, My Love", being a great example of a subtle, but affecting song. "Four Hands in the Fire" is also a fantastic track, with an awesome little guitar riff.

It's all more of the same though, if you like The Spinners, you'll like this. Not an essential album by any means, and not as good as Pick of The Litter, but an enjoyable 30 minutes for sure.

 

Listened to Second Time Around, from 1970. It was released on a Motown subsidiary, before they signed to Atlantic. I recognised opening track, "It's a Shame", didn't realise that was The Spinners before. It was produced by Stevie Wonder, and has a really lush and funky sound to it. The falsetto vocals in it are super impressive too. One of my favourite songs I've heard of theirs, absolutely perfect RnB song.

I think this is absolutely fantastic, and shows something a bit different to them, it's definitely more of a "Motown" album than what comes after. It's loud, uptempo and funky, straddling the line between soul, funk and pop just effortlessly. Production is fantastic, incorporating big swirling string arrangements alongside dirty basslines, with neither sounding out of place.

It's an absolute joy, and easily as good as anything else they did. They show off everything they're great at in 35 minutes here, and there's no dips or lags here, just track after track of greatness. I think after just one listen, this is my favourite album of theirs, I completely adored this. I'm an absolute sucker for classic Motown stuff, and this is absolutely up there with anything else on that label.

Phillipé Wynne doesn't sing on this album, by the way.

 

In fact, I'm going to be controversial and very hasty after letting that one listen sink in and say that Second Time Around is their best album AND that I think G. C. Cameron is a better singer than Phillipé Wynne.

 

Sorry! Started my summer job today. I'll post more when I have my computer but Pick Of the Litter is a perfect album to me. Holds a ton of nostalgic value for me as well since my dad used to play it every time we were in his car, along with Van Morrison's Greatest Hits. There's a home movie of me out there attempting to sing along to Just As Long As We Have Love at the age of like 4. Special, special album to me

Their other stuff is great as well but nothing can outstrip the memories from Pick of the Litter

 

Your rec of that was really my gateway drug into Philly soul as a whole. It's a tremendous album.

 

Which is the recommended album? The Original Spinners or just Spinners?

 

Fun fact: G.C. Cameron joined temptations from 2003-2007. My dad was dropping knowledge on me the other day and I thought that was pretty cool.

 

Spinners (album) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

The constant lineup cycles when these groups tour nowadays is bewildering but intriguing

 

Pick of the Litter!!!!

 

Every year these guys don't get into the Rock Hall makes me a little sadder.

 

"Could it be I'm falling in loooooooooove"

 

All about Mighty Love tonight. God, this band was great.

 

Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, baby! FINALLY. A small, small victory against racism, imo