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The Impressions

SwayzeSwayze 14,705 Posts
edited May 2008 in Strut Central
Ok this is a bit of a "little guy" post...I'm a really big Curtis Mayfield fan. I have 9 of his LPs and like all of them a hell of a lot.BUT[/b] I don't own anything by The Impressions at all, only heard the famous tunes like Choice Of Colors, Mighty Mighty, We're a Winner, etc. So was hopin you guys could get me started diggin their stuff...Thanks
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  • hcrinkhcrink 8,729 Posts
    They don't have a bad album.
  • beatlustbeatlust 142 Posts
    They don't have a bad album.


    edited: go back a bit further than the songs you listed.
  • SoulOnIceSoulOnIce 13,027 Posts
    If you're a big Curtis solo fan, and based on the
    Impressions songs you mentioned, I would recommend
    starting out with the later LP's w/Curtis, especially
    "Check Out Your Mind" and maybe "This Is My Country"
    or "Young Mod's Forgotten Story" ... definitely go for
    "Check Out Your Mind" ... you can work your way backwards
    into their classic earlier albums with a less "funky" sound.
  • cascas 1,484 Posts
    damn. i've been playing them in the car nonstop for the last week or so.

    They don't have a bad album.
  • grandpa_shiggrandpa_shig 5,799 Posts
    i dont own any of the lps. but the 45s i have by them i do love.
  • LaserWolfLaserWolf Portland Oregon 11,517 Posts
    When you get into the early Impressions there can be a lot of sameness in their sound, and some album fillers. Greatest hits collections of the early stuff are cheap and plentyful and one or two will help you decide whether or not to get the original early albums. I think on the 45 tip just bout all 45s should be affordable. Luck can let us know if there are any rare ones.

    My favorite Impressions song is I Wonder.

    You should not stop at the Impressions. Curtis did a ton of production work. Most can be found on 45. Major Lance is an early artist who Curtis wrote for and produced. His Okeh hits are easy to find, and worthwhile. He had a series of labels that he did production work for with a slew of 45s.
  • grandpa_shiggrandpa_shig 5,799 Posts
    my favorite is "i need your love". its slightly different than most their stuffs. or i mean, most their stuffs that i have heard.
  • ElectrodeElectrode Los Angeles 3,129 Posts
    "This Is My Country"

    http://www.zshare.net/download/11983284eb948113/
  • SoulOnIceSoulOnIce 13,027 Posts
    Let's name check some under-the-radar Impressions tracks that rule ...

    "Isle of Sirens" ... crazy mythological soul ...

    "You're Really Something Sadie" ... ill midtempo funk w/conga ...

    "Emotions" ... nice Fred Cash vocal ...

    "Too Slow" ... great northern soul sound ...
  • SwayzeSwayze 14,705 Posts
    thanks!
  • SwayzeSwayze 14,705 Posts
    "This Is My Country"

    Thanks very much for this, downloading now. And no cats to spot on zSHARE either!

    I'm definitely gonna pick up "Check Out Your Mind" thanks for the recommendation SoulOnIce.

    And thanks for the info on Major Lance LaserWolf, only Curtis production I have is Baby Huey at the moment, will definitely be checking more out.
  • spelunkspelunk 3,400 Posts
    They don't have a bad album, but "This is My Country" and "The Young Mods Forgotten Story" are the standouts for me. Absolute essentials.
  • ElectrodeElectrode Los Angeles 3,129 Posts
    You're very welcome.
  • PrimeCutsLtdPrimeCutsLtd jersey fresh 2,632 Posts
    they don't know off of this is my country is amazing!
  • p_gunnp_gunn 2,284 Posts


    My favorite Impressions song is I Wonder.


    that entire "people get ready" LP is just golden...
  • pickwick33pickwick33 8,946 Posts
    They don't have a bad album.

    Yes, they do - We're A Winner has filler as sure as night is dark!

    Some of the ABC albums can be really inconsistent, but I can recommend Keep On Pushing and The Fabulous Impressions.
  • SoulOnIceSoulOnIce 13,027 Posts
    They don't have a bad album.

    Yes, they do - We're A Winner has filler as sure as night is dark!

    Oh, come on - We're A Winner has no more filler than any of them.

    The smoother pop album The Versatile Impressions may be the weakest,
    but even that has fine moments. The only thing weak about We're A Winner is
    the cover art - next you'll be saying that "Romancing to the Folk Song" is bad!
  • pickwick33pickwick33 8,946 Posts
    They don't have a bad album.

    Yes, they do - We're A Winner has filler as sure as night is dark!

    Oh, come on - We're A Winner has no more filler than any of them.

    The smoother pop album The Versatile Impressions may be the weakest,
    but even that has fine moments. The only thing weak about We're A Winner is
    the cover art - next you'll be saying that "Romancing to the Folk Song" is bad!

    That's exactly what I was going to say! (Or have I said it before?)

    There's a lot of skipovers on the albums mentioned above, but then again, they were in the process of leaving ABC at the time and were probably saving their best things for later. Winner was the last ABC album; Versatile was scraped together after they left for Curtom.
  • bassiebassie 11,710 Posts


    The smoother pop album The Versatile Impressions may be the weakest,

    My least favourite - never feel like listening to it.



    Huge co-sign on Emotions.



    Let's name check some under-the-radar Impressions tracks that rule ...

    We're Rollin' On
  • Birdman9Birdman9 5,417 Posts




    Let's name check some under-the-radar Impressions tracks that rule ...

    We're Rollin' On

    "You Must Believe Me"

    I could listen to this song all day.
  • bassiebassie 11,710 Posts
    where's that Curtis/Impressions lyrics-off we had a while ago? that was fun - was that even part of a Curtis or Impressions thread...?

    Also, "I Loved and I Lost" and every damn song on The Young Mods' Forgotten Story.
  • pickwick33pickwick33 8,946 Posts
    Let's name check some under-the-radar Impressions tracks that rule ...


    "You've Been Cheatin'"
  • drewnicedrewnice 5,465 Posts
    Let's name check some under-the-radar Impressions albums[/b] that rule ...


  • bluesnagbluesnag 1,285 Posts
    Let's name check some under-the-radar Impressions tracks that rule ...

    "If it's in you to do wrong" on Curtom. The intro to this destroys my head every time.
  • hcrinkhcrink 8,729 Posts
    They don't have a bad album.

    Yes, they do - We're A Winner has filler as sure as night is dark!

    Oh, come on

    Seriously. We're a Winner is a solid lp.

    There is an earlier one that is mostly standards type stuff that is less than amazing... probably the afore mentioned "Versatile Impressions"... can't remember. It's still decent though.
  • foster_kanefoster_kane 125 Posts
    They don't have a bad album, but "This is My Country" and "The Young Mods Forgotten Story" are the standouts for me. Absolute essentials.
  • Agent45Agent45 451 Posts
    ...and if you feel like you get stuck in an Impressions rut, go hunt down some Gene Chandler on Constellation, and some mid-60s Okeh 45s by Billy Butler, Walter Jackson, The Opals, Major Lance and others. And then you'll be itching for stuff by The Fascinations on ABC and Mayfield. It will snowball and you'll find yourself with a great collection of soul 45s. Addiction will set in and you'll have to get quick fixes of things like post-Curtis Impressions 45s like "I'll Always Be There". This is only the beginning....
  • pickwick33pickwick33 8,946 Posts
    Let's name check some under-the-radar Impressions tracks that rule ...

    "If it's in you to do wrong" on Curtom. The intro to this destroys my head every time.

    Well, as long as we're talking about Impressions tracks made after Curtis left, try "Finally Got Myself Together"...a massive hit in 1974, but never heard as an oldie today...
  • On_the_Red_ClayOn_the_Red_Clay 1,728 Posts


    I'm a really big Curtis Mayfield fan. I have 9 of his LPs and like all of them a hell of a lot.

    BUT[/b] I don't own anything by The Impressions at all, only heard the famous tunes like Choice Of Colors, Mighty Mighty, We're a Winner, etc. So was hopin you guys could get me started diggin their stuff...

    Thanks


    This was me a little under a year ago. I have since bought all Impressions lp's from "keep on pushing" up to "the young mod's forgotten story" and they have probably been the best music i bought in the last twelve months.

    In other words: DO IT.[/b]

    a little incentive:




    ripped from my own copy @256kb:

    http://www.divshare.com/download/3392695-c7f
  • CosmoCosmo 9,768 Posts
    When I started actually collecting records as a kid, as my DJ interests started, my mom would stop by 9th Street Records in Philly on her way home from the market on Saturday afternoons and pick up an LP for me. "We're A Winner" was the first one she bought for me.

    Also I want to take this time to big up "Check Out Your Mind" from 1969. Such a good album and one that definitely doesn't get held up next to the other more well known LPs from them.

    But yes, whatever you do, JUST DO IT.
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