Westbound No. 9: The Hot Wax Sessions

by Flaming Ember

Overview

Part of Castle/Sequel's impeccable, indispensable Invictus/Hot Wax reissue series of 1999, Westbound No. 9: The Hot Wax Sessions contains nearly all of blue-eyed soul group Flaming Ember's output for the label, including their two albums and non-LP singles and B-sides. Curiously, this is missing an important piece of the puzzle -- namely, the single version of their biggest and best song, "Westbound No. 9," which was shorter, denser, and better than the album version found there. Ultimately, this is a minor quibble, since this is an excellent recap of an excellent, underrated band. At their best, they were a fiery, inspired soul band, taking inspiration from classic Southern soul, Motown, psychedelia, and album rock, resulting in a heady rush of sound where gritty vocals sit next to paisley-colored electric sitars. As such, this means that the music is occasionally tied to the times and it's also true that they do tend to meander in their jams, but at their best, they produced wonderfully eclectic, captivating music. These, of course, are best-heard on singles like "Westbound No. 9" and "I'm Not My Brother's Keeper," but listening to this collection of complete recorded works, it's clear that these weren't the only times the band really caught fire, and even misfires are interesting -- which is why this is a cult item worth seeking out by any serious listener of early-'70s soul. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Product Details

Release Date:	12/06/2010
Label:	Demon Records
UPC:	5014797900769
Rank:	159201

Tracks

1. Spinning Wheel
2. Westbound #9
3. Mind, Body and Soul
4. Shades Of Green
5. Going In Circles
6. Why Don't You Stay
7. This Girl Is A Woman Now
8. Stop The World And Let Me Off
9. Heart On (Loving You)
10. Where's All The Joy
11. The Empty Crowded Room

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Flaming Ember   Primary Artist
Joe Sladich   Guitar
Jim Bugnel   Guitar (Bass)
Bill Ellis   Piano (Electric)
Jerry Plunk   Drums

Technical Credits

J. Dean   Composer
A.J. Bernstein   Composer
Daphne Dumas   Composer
Tony Camillo   Arranger
Angelo Bond   Composer
Greg Perry   Composer
Ronald Dunbar   Composer
David Clayton-Thomas   Composer
William Weatherspoon   Composer
Jerry Peters   Composer
L.T. Horn   Engineer
Edyth Wayne   Composer
A.J. Bond   Composer
Vic Millrose   Composer
R. Miner   Composer