The quintessential
Charles Wright & the Watts 103rd Street Rhythm Band record,
Express Yourself displays the purposefully loose rhythms and shout vocals that would make this band a legend in soul circles. Every track on this album is a classic, from the oft-sampled and high-charting pop single "Express Yourself" to the first of many readings of "I Got Love" that would appear on the band's records -- and even
Wright's solo works for years to come. The aching balladry of "Tell Me What You Want Me to Do" and the complex compositions "High as Apple Pie -- Slice 1" and "High as Apple Pie -- Slice 2" showcase a versatility found in other West Coast collectives such as
War. Perhaps the treasure of this album is the opener, "Road Without an End," a charming, stepping groover punctuated by choppy horns and snapping drums that blend beautifully with one of
Wright's best vocals of his career, all accented by sweeping strings.
Express Yourself is '70s soul at its most creative and satisfying. ~ Douglas Siwek