In The Midnight Hour/Teardrops Will Fall/Take A Little Love/For Better Or Worse/I Found A Love/That’s A Man’s Way/I’m Gonna Cry/Don’t Fight It/Take This Love I’ve Got/Come Home Baby/I’m Not Tired/Let’s Kiss & Make Up
Wilson Pickett was one of the major soul artists of the mid 1960s. His debut LP In The Midnight Hour includes several older singles plus the classic title track and UK No. 12 hit single. (US:107)
“Originally released in 1965, Wilson Pickett's first album is mainly a compilation of various singles and B-sides dating as far back as 1961. Here the wicked Pickett belts out greasy R & B with The Falcons and duets with Cissy Houston. He also tries his hand at a bit of Motown-style stomping on I'm Gonna Cry and lets a touch of gospel creep into For Better Or Worse. While it may lack a little in the way of cohesiveness, In The Midnight Hour is still an exciting tour through the first phases of his career.”
“I love this album. Half of the material documents his brief affair with Stax Records and its legendary house band Booker T. & The MG's. This is the team responsible for countless classics. Here, they add to their legacy by co-authoring with Pickett yet another soul staple, In The Midnight Hour. The remaining half showcases the artist before the fame and professionalism - the raw and formative years, if you will. All of the songs on the album are well crafted and the performances inspired. Throughout both phases of this collection, Pickett's patented scream and fierce delivery are in full formation. A must have for any fan of 60s Memphis soul.”
“His first album was a bit of a hodgepodge, including singles from as far back as 1962. Three of these tracks were actually issued as singles by The Falcons (for whom Pickett sang lead) before he started his solo career; others were issued as singles before he broke through as a national star. Working with several collaborators, Pickett himself wrote most of the tunes on this album. The record also featured the first recordings he made with the Stax rhythm section in Memphis - a combination that would yield much fine soul music throughout the rest of the '60s.”
“An all-time soul classic, In The Midnight Hour boasts a loping bass line, punchy horn charts and fiery vocals. This is raw era Wilson Pickett, and you get the Stax flavour that truly cooks with Wilson's own brand of gut bucket soul. Before he got polished you get the rawness of him here."
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