Wilson Pickett
The Sound Of

The habit doesn't make the monk.

This is how Wilson Pickett responds to anyone who criticizes the somewhat questionable outfits flaunted on the covers of his albums. Keep in mind that, after the elegant black suit worn on the cover of «In The Midnight Hour», our artist follows with a terrifying shocking red suit for «The Exciting», an embarrassing purple smock for «Wicked Pickett», another chilling electric blue suit for «The Sound Of», and then concludes beautifully with a multicolored suit that makes Harlequin's mask pale in comparison for «I’m In Love».

If we were to judge the monk by his habit, Wilson would deserve to sink into the infernos of Vogue and Vanity Fair; on the contrary, he is one of the fathers of soul music, just slightly below the Holy Trinity of Cooke-Franklin-Redding, from whom he is distinguished by a strong inclination towards contamination with rock'n'roll. In fact, if Sam Cooke develops a sound very close to pop and high-class entertainment; if Aretha Franklin and Otis Redding attempt not too aggressive approaches to the Stones-like «Satisfaction»; Wilson, on the other hand, leans his entire repertoire towards rock roughness. Had he been born and raised in Italy, he would have been defined as a "screamer."

To his credit, two recognized masterpieces, «The «Exciting» and «Wicked Pickett»; equally significant, at least for the writer, «The Sound Of», although gratified by decidedly limited recognition: three amazing albums, released in the short span of a year.

«The Sound Of» can only be defined as a masterpiece, an album that starts with two timeless classics such as «Soul Dance Number Three» and «Funky Broadway», followed by the killer «I Found A Love»: «Soul Dance Number Three» and «I Found A Love» are both Wilson's own work and would be enough to guarantee him a place in the musical empyrean – soul and otherwise – even if he had never composed «In The Midnight Hour».

The sound moves between soul, blues, and rock'n'roll: Wilson is agitated and restless like only the sonic Gerry Roslie of the time; he is accompanied by a chorus of female voices that is a spectacle; the horn section, always, ensures massive and tireless support. The result is an album of rare power, perfectly rendered by the rapid sequential listening of «You Can’t Stand Alone» and «Mojo Mamma».

Cherry on top, the rendition of three tracks signed by that Bobby Womack, who, just to say, plays alongside Franklin and Redding, but owes his fame precisely to the interest sparked in Wilson Pickett. Closing with «I Found The One», «Something Within Me», and «I’m Sorry About That», he guarantees his listeners ten minutes of pure musical orgasm and offers Bobby Womack a paved path to fame.

Great album, this «The Sound Of». Don't miss it.