MINIT, 1968
Graduating from
songwriter/session
guitarist to solo artist,
Womack’s debut is a
genre-busting covers LP. From the killer
version of “California Dreamin’” to a
funkified makeover of “Moonlight In
Vermont”, the R’n’B arrangements,
warm horns and Womack’s gravelly
rasp make for a compelling blend.
UNITED ARTISTS, 1971
Womack heads to
Muscle Shoals and
hits a deep groove.
His breakthrough hit,
the slow-cooked soul of “That’s The
Way I Feel About ’Cha”, sits alongside
covers of “Fire And Rain” and a long,
languorous version of “Close To You”,
Sam Cooke by way of Isaac Hayes.
ACROSS 110TH STREET
UNITED ARTISTS, 1972
Womack co-wrote
the soundtrack for
Barry Shear’s
blaxploitation movie,
and the title theme is one of his
masterpieces. With its searing strings,
fierce rhythm and soaring chorus, it’s a
wonderfully atmospheric depiction of
bottomed-out street life, later featured
in Tarantino’s Jackie Brown and
AGAIN
UNITED ARTISTS, 1974
Lush, smooth soul.
The title track had
given Womack his
first hit with The Valentinos in 1962, and
is revamped here for one of his biggest
solo singles. “You’re Welcome, Stop On
By” adds some welcome edge, a riot of
thudding bass and funky fuzz-guitar.
UNITED ARTISTS, 1976
Fearing he was
repeating himself,
Womack takes a left
turn into country:
“The drugs were taking hold,” he later
admitted. Actually, it works, his take
on Charlie Rich’s hits “Behind Closed
Doors” and “I Take It On Home”
evoking Ray Charles’ rich country-soul
stew. UA weren’t impressed,
THE POET
BEVERLY GLEN, 1981
Womack’s
reinvention as a
modern, decidedly
Vandrossian soul man
for the ’80s isn’t to everyone’s tastes,
but it has its moments. In particular, the
testifying ballad “If You Think You’re
Lonely Now” features one of
THE POET II
BEVERLY GLEN, 1984
Front-loaded with a
trio of duets with
Patti LaBelle, NME’s
Album Of 1984 is, as
the title suggests, a further exploration
of The Poet’s slick soul stylings. The
easy, swinging shoo-be-doo-wah of
“Surprise, Surprise” is a standout.
THE UNIVERSE
XL, 2012
Inspired by his cameo
with Gorillaz, an ailing
Womack hooks up
with Damon Albarn and XL supremo
Richard Russell for his first album in
12 years. It’s a triumphant swansong,
pitching his still-extraordinary voice
and rejuvenated songwriting against
a stark electro-soul backing.
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