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Released 1971

Much of Bell's first '70s album was cut at Muscle Shoals, with background vocals layered in at a studio in Los Angeles and horns and strings recorded in Memphis. This kind of production-by-mail usually spells trouble, and while it didn't have a readily apparent impact upon the results, this doesn't count as one of Bell's more distinguished efforts. Part of the problem is that William himself wrote hardly any of the material, but the larger issue is that it's competent but unremarkable period soul with a slightly slicker-than-necessary execution -- criticisms that could be leveled at the output of the Stax label as a whole by 1970. When it gets just a little more rootsy, as on his version of Eddie Floyd's "I'll Be Home," things are more satisfying. To add marketability to the LP, Bell's late-1968 Top Ten R&B hit "I Forgot to Be Your Lover," his biggest single for Stax, was added to the track list. This has been paired with his 1969 album Bound to Happen on a single-disc CD reissue. ~ Richie Unterberger, All Music Guide

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