| features in: Album Chart of 1972 ● Album Chart of the Decade: 1970s |
The Motown company began to change in a number of ways during the early 1970s. Older acts such as Martha and the Vandellas and The Marvelettes were being slowly shoved aside to focus on newer acts such as Michael Jackson and The Jackson 5, Rare Earth, and the now-solo Diana Ross. In addition, the company was slowly moving many of its operations from Detroit to Los Angeles, California, where Berry Gordy planned to break into the motion picture and television industries. In 1972, it was announced that the entire company would move to Los Angeles, and that all its artists had to move as well. Many of the older Motown acts, already neglected by the label, opted to stay in Detroit, including The Funk Brothers backing band, Martha Reeves, and the Four Tops.
The Tops departed Motown for ABC-Dunhill, where they were assigned to songwriter-producers Dennis Lambert and Brian Potter, with The Tops’ own Lawrence Payton also serving as a producer and arranger. “Keeper Of The Castle” was their first pop Top 10 hit since “Bernadette” in 1967 and the follow-up “Ain’t No Woman (Like The One I’ve Got)” followed suit. Both of these were featured on their first album for ABC. It’s a step forward from the preceding schmaltz – a bit more depth to the funk groove, albeit still “a bit too smooth” for my tastebuds. Well crafted if a tad dull…
The Jukebox Rebel
11–Jan–2010
| Tracklist |
| A1 | [03:00]  The Four Tops - Keeper Of The Castle (Brian Potter, Dennis Lambert) Disco / Funk |
| A2 | [03:04]  The Four Tops - Ain’t No Woman (Like The One I’ve Got) (Brian Potter, Dennis Lambert) Soul |
| A3 | [03:03]  The Four Tops - Put A Little Love Away (Brian Potter, Dennis Lambert) Pop Ballad |
| A4 | [03:36]  The Four Tops - Turn On The Light Of Your Love (Abdul Fakir, Len Perry, Levi Stubbs, Renaldo Benson) Disco / Funk |
| A5 | [03:41]  The Four Tops - When Tonight Meets Tomorrow (Al Cleveland, Len Perry, Renaldo Benson) Disco / Funk |
| A6 | [03:35]  The Four Tops - Love Music (Brian Potter, Dennis Lambert) Pop |
| B1 | [03:50]  The Four Tops - Remember What I Told You To Forget (Brian Potter, Dennis Lambert) Soul Ballad |
| B2 | [02:55]  The Four Tops - (I Think I Must Be) Dreaming (Brian Potter, Dennis Lambert) Soul |
| B3 | [04:04] The Four Tops - The Good Lord Knows (Len Perry, Renaldo Benson) Pop |
| B4 | [03:20]  The Four Tops - Jubilee With Soul (Renaldo Benson, Val Benson) Disco / Funk |
| B5 | [04:42]  The Four Tops - Love Makes You Human (Len Perry, Renaldo Benson, Val Benson) Disco / Funk |
| B6 | [01:25]  The Four Tops - Keeper Of The Castle [reprise] (Brian Potter, Dennis Lambert) Disco / Funk |
