Full of tight grooves and red-hot guitar licks a la James Brown and the JB’s, Roy Lee Johnson and the Villagers has
been in high demand by DJs and producers since the late 80s. This reissue marks the first availability of the LP on
vinyl since its release in 1973.
An unsung monster from the waning hours of the Stax empire, Roy Lee Johnson and the Villagers' eponymous LP is as funky as anything the label ever released. While its sound is unmistakably Stax -- its elegant yet earthy sensibility couldn't come from anywhere else -- the music expands on the formula via tight, hypnotic grooves and scorching guitar licks. The up-tempo "I Can't Stand This Loneliness" is the unqualified highlight, but there's not a bum note to be found here -- everything works, from the relentless opener "Patch It Up" to the lovely ballad "Something Special."
A1 | Patch It Up | 2:30 |
A2 | I'll Be Your Doctor Man | 3:22 |
A3 | Something Special | 3:04 |
A4 | I Can't Stand This Loneliness | 2:38 |
A5 | The Dryer (Part 2) | 2:26 |
B1 | Don't Tell Me Nothing About My Woman | 2:34 |
B2 | Razorback Circus | 2:52 |
B3 | Robot | 2:35 |
B4 | Midnight At Riley's | 2:46 |
B5 | The Dryer (Part 1) | 2:29 |