Description

When serious collectors compose lists of the top shoulda-been-bigger bands of the ‘0s, The Rationals are often among them. Coming out of the same Ann Arbor, MI scene that gave birth to the MC5 and the Stooges, the group’s forté was a sort of garage-ish take on blue-eyed soul, built around the fine R&B-hued vocals of frontman Scott Morgan. Their mid-’60s singles, however, didn’t break in many areas outside of Michigan and by the time they got to record an album, they had long since passed their peak and the band broke up in the summer of 1970. In the beginning of the new century Scott Morgan teamed up with Nicke Andersson (The Hellacopters, Entombed, Imperial State Electric) and formed a band that maybe is the closest to what The Rationals should have become had they stayed together. Their debut album, Communicate, was released in 2004 and it sounds like it could have be made in Detroit 35 years ago but that takes nothing away from its power. This was real soul music, even if the players were white and from Sweden. Echo’s of Mayfield, Otis and Northern Soul resonate from every track. The nearest white comparison would be Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes. Their follow up, Will Not Be Televised, saw the light of day in 2007 and the band once again deliver an album of old school, classic southern soul with a fresh, contemporary feel. From the brilliant original opening track (You Got To Come Down – that made it to No. 1 on the Berlin radio charts) to the well-chosen reworked covers, this is an album that simply makes 95% plus of album releases these days seem quite pale, indeed. The band arrangements — keyboard fills, horn charts, background vocals — are all imaginative, natural and sounding just sooo good. This time however its not Nicke Andersson but Scott Morgan who shines as he is one of the greatest rock n soul singers of all time. Nicke Andersson on the other hand has done a good share of the writing and arranging (as well as the drumming) and, like the first Solution album, has done an astounding job himself, turning out material and performances of rare depth and maturity. This is truly a great album — one that anyone who knows how to appreciate great music will almost certainly listen to many a time.

Track list:
1. You Gotta Come Down
2. Somebody
3. Had You Told It Like It Was (It Wouldn’t Be Like It Is)
4. Pickin Wild Mountain Berries
5. You Got What You Wanted
6. You Never Liked Me Somehow
7. Happiness
8. Can’t Stop Looking For My Baby
9. Hijackin Love
10. Heavy Makes You Happy (Sha-Na-Boom Boom)
11. Funky Fever