The Four Tops - Main Street People (1973) [Vinyl]

The Four Tops' story is one of togetherness and success. These
Motown legends teamed up in high school, spent over four decades
together without a personnel change, and in between became a
top-tier act on a label with no shortage of talent, ranking with the
Temptations and the Supremes as its most consistent hitmakers. Where
many other R&B vocal groups spotlighted a tenor, the Four Tops were
fronted by deep-voiced Levi Stubbs - who had all the grit of a
gospel-trained soul belter - yet the Tops' creamy harmonies, filled
out by Duke Fakir, Obie Benson, and Lawrence Payton, were smooth
enough for Motown's pop-soul productions

One of the first major defections from Motown, the Four Tops signed
to ABC/Dunhill and immediately hit with the 1973 album Keeper of the
Castle and its biggest single, "Ain't No Woman (Like the One I
Got)." The follow-up, Main Street People, was produced by Steve
Barri, Dennis Lambert, and Brian Potter. Although they all had a
heavy pop resum , they gave the Four Tops a strong L.A. pop/R&B
sound that wasn't far from what Motown was doing at the time

Recorded at ABC Recording Studios with a cadre of session players
including Wilton Felder on bass and drummer Paul Humphrey, this was
one of the finest of all of the group's ABC endeavors. The best
track, the poignant, mid-tempo "I Just Can't Get You out of My Mind"
is in the mold of the Spinners' "I'll Be Around," featuring a couple
of choice bellows from lead singer Levi Stubbs. The warm and melodic
"Am I My Brother's Keeper" displays the group's trademark
left-of-center harmonies as well as the skill of the backing band

Main Street People loses steam however, during side two, as barren
lyrics and uninspired arrangements make it less than essential. The
title track, however, is a flawless mix of R&B and pop with a good
arrangement and more smooth vocal riffs from the group. Main Street
People may seem like sacrilege to some R&B fans, but it's actually
better thought out than some of the groups 1968-1972 work with
Motown