the ohio players / albums

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- First Impressions
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The Ohio Players
Released 1968
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album review

When the Ohio Players were burning up the R&B charts in the mid-'70s, various budget labels tried to cash in on their popularity by putting out collections of lesser-known material that they had recorded in the 1960s. One of them was First Impressions, which focuses on the pre-Westbound sessions that Johnny Brantley produced for the Players in New York in 1968. These selections are quite different from their Westbound and Mercury output of the 1970s; in 1968, the Players' forte was raw, gritty, southern-style soul along the lines of Sam & Dave, Wilson Pickett, Otis Redding, and Rufus Thomas. In fact, "Tell Me Why," "A Thing Called Love," and "It's a Cryin' Shame" sound like they could have been recorded for Stax -- and the same goes for the early Players singles "Trespassin'" and "I Got to Hold On." This LP doesn't contain the Players' most essential work, but the material is generally enjoyable and certainly isn't without historic value. ~ Alex Henderson, All Music Guide