Johnnie Taylor - Reflections *** 1977

This obscure Johnnie Taylor album fell between two other 1977 releases: Rated Extraordinaire and Disco 9000. The latter two came out on CBS, this one RCA. Don Davis handled the productions, and the songs are by some of Detroit's best songsmiths, including Barrett Strong. CBS issued at least three albums by Taylor after this bump-in-the-road effort by RCA. Reflections features Taylor's R&B hit "Stop Half Lovin' These Women" and is gutsier and more even than his CBS albums, but not as rootsy as his Sar, Stax, or Malaco recordings. With material like "Wanting What You Can't Have (Having What You Don't Want)," "I Worry About You," and a soul remake of "Never My Love," he becomes the blues wailer again.