Main Ingredient – Spinning Around – The Singles 1967-1975 CD (Kent)

The Main Ingredient will always be one of soul music’s most esteemed vocal groups. Between 1969 and 1975 they chalked up 14 US R&B/Soul chart hits, many of which went Top 10 or higher and 10 of which also crossed over to the Pop charts. Although several of these also brushed the UK Pop charts of the day, the group has never been too well represented on CD.

All that changes with the release of the “Spinning Around”Kent compilation that covers the group’s first 10 years on RCA Victor and includes all the important hits and flips (and the occasional flop) from 1967-1976 – including their first two singles for the label as the Insiders.

Their lengthy hit list shows that the MI had real staying power. They survived the premature death (from leukaemia) of their first distinctive lead singer, Donald McPherson, to come back stronger and even more successfully with a new front man, Cuba Gooding Sr.

The MI also pioneered what came to be known as the “quiet storm” format of R&B, with many lush sensual ballads that are still a staple of late night oldies R&B radio. They were also capable of spotting commercial, chart-friendly material, and scored big with the original versions of ‘Everybody Plays The Fool’ and ‘Happiness Is Just Around The Bend’, as well as having the biggest hit version of the much-covered ‘Just Don’t Want to Be Lonely’. These are among the 22 gems on offer here, the majority of which are making their UK CD debut.
Soul has never sounded smoother or sweeter than it does in the hands of Luther, Tony, Donald and Cuba. – Ace Records