The Natural Four - Natural Four (1974) [Soul] [mp3@320)[mrtude42]

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Natural Four, The - Natural Four
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Artist...............: Natural Four, The
Album................: Natural Four
Genre................: Funk / Soul
Source...............: CD
Year.................: 1974
Ripper...............: EAC (Secure mode) / LAME 3.92 & Asus CD-S520
Codec................: LAME 3.98
Version..............: MPEG 1 Layer III
Quality..............: Insane, (avg. bitrate: 320kbps)
Channels.............: Joint Stereo / 44100 hz
Tags.................: ID3 v1.1, ID3 v2.3
Information..........: http://www.allmusic.com/album/the-natural-four-mw0000713786
Ripped by............: Mrtude42 on 6/11/2013
Posted by............: Mrtude42 on 6/11/2013
Included.............: NFO, SFV, PLS, M3U, CUE
Covers...............: Front

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Tracklisting
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1. Natural Four, The - Can This Be Real [03:30]
2. Natural Four, The - Love That Really Counts [04:23]
3. Natural Four, The - Love's Society [03:24]
4. Natural Four, The - Things Will Be Better Tomorrow [03:34]
5. Natural Four, The - This Is What's Happening Now [04:09]
6. Natural Four, The - Try Love Again [04:30]
7. Natural Four, The - Try To Smile [03:01]
8. Natural Four, The - You Bring Out The Best In Me [04:38]
9. Natural Four, The - You Can't Keep Running Away [03:26]

Playing Time.........: 34:39
Total Size...........: 80.35 MB

NFO generated on.....: 6/11/2013 2:39:18 AM


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Biography from http://www.allmusic.com/artist/the-natural-four-
mn0000383414

by Andrew Hamilton
The Natural Four began their quest for stardom in Oakland, CA, in the
mid-'60s, landing their first deal with a local outfit called Boola Boola Records.
Initially, they had two 1969 releases on Boola Boola -- "You Did This for Me"
and "Why Should We Stop Now" -- that did well in the San Francisco/Oakland
area. ABC Records took over distribution and pushed "Why Should We Stop
Now" to number 31 R&B in 1969. At this junction the group consisted of lead
singer Chris James, Allen Richardson, John January, and Al Bowden.
Three more releases followed on ABC: "The Same Thing in Mind," an old Boola
Boola track named "I Thought You Were Mine," and a remake of the
Temptations' "Message From a Black Man." Nothing approached even the
minimal success of "Why Should We Stop Now," and their relationship with
ABC ended on a sour note.
Super Fly [Original Soundtrack]
In 1971, they did a one-off single for Chess Records ("Give a Little Love"),
after which Chris James completely overhauled The Natural Four. By 1972,
Richardson, January, and Bowden were out and in came Darryl Cannady,
Steve Striplin, and Delmos Whitney. They signed with Curtis Mayfield's Curtom
label and released "Things Will Be Better" in 1972; it flopped, as did their
second Curtom release, "Eddie You Should Know Better" (a remake from
Mayfield's Superfly album). The third Curtom release was the charmer "Can
This Be Real," which soared to number ten on the R&B charts in 1973 and
cracked the pop Top 40. Its successor, "Love That Really Counts" (1974), was
too similar to "Can This Be Real" to be taken seriously: same melody, different
lyrics.
The Natural Four
Leroy Hutson, the first replacement for Curtis Mayfield in the Impressions,
produced The Natural Four on Curtom for several promising releases, but four
flops followed during 1975-1976: "Heaven Right Here on Earth," "Love's So
Wonderful," "It's the Music," and "Free." Curtom released three LPs by The
Natural Four: The Natural Four, Heaven Right Here on Earth, and
Nightchaser. The Natural Four certainly deserved better; they had a crisp,
smooth lead singer in Chris James, who had a tenor similar to the Spinners'
Bobbie Smith but heavier and more melodious. The group had no writers of
substance though, and were usually at the mercy of producers and
songwriters. Still, The Natural Four voiced some of the sweetest harmony
ever laid down. Sequel later compiled all three LPs on two CDs in one sweet
package.


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Review from allmusic.com
by Craig Lytle

The Natural Four's self-titled debut release on Curtom should have introduced
the group's distinguishable sound to a vast R&B audience. The album features
the vintage soul number "Can This Be Real," and the socially conscious "This Is
What's Happening Now" and "Love That Really Counts." The latter is almost
identical to "Can This Be Real," save the lyrical content. The entire LP is
consistent with the sound of its day. For whatever reasons, the acclaim due
to this quartet was undelivered. The serenely composed "Can This Be Real"
did peak at number ten on the Billboard R&B charts after 18 active weeks, and
remains a mainstay on quiet storm radio. If not for the scarce availability of
this LP, a host of songs from this collection would receive airplay; "Can This Be
Real" is only available through several compilation albums.

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