After two albums for Volt (anthologized on a 1999 Stax two-fer) and a gospel and funk-edged self-titled release on Atlantic, ‘70s soul-singer Margie Joseph released this second Atlantic album in 1974. In contrast to the funkier sounds of her previous release, Sweet Surrender often finds a smoother R&B groove, with elements of disco’s beat and strings nosing their way into a few arrangements. The soaring version of Paul McCartney and Wings’ "My Love" that anchors the album’s second side became Joseph’s only top-10 R&B single (also making its way into the pop top-100), and a funk-powered cover of Paul Kelly’s "Come Lay Some Lovin’ On Me" also cracked the charts. Though she’d record four more albums for Atlantic, Cotillion and Atco, this was to be her biggest commercial success.
Joseph’s song selections are heavy with cover versions, and as on her previous outing, she often reshapes the songs’ emotional centers. Jerry Butler’s lost and heartbroken "(Strange) I Still Love You" is more hurt and resentful in Joseph’s reading. And in a reversal, Joseph’s lush, wondering ballad of Ralph MacDonald’s "If I’m Still Around Tomorrow" hardly anticipates the songwriter’s carefree, upbeat disco version a few years later. Billy Joel’s "She’s Got a Way" has its gender flipped, and its pop piano lines turned winningly to gospel, and Joseph’s take on Stevie Wonder’s "To Know You is to Love You," adds just a touch of gospel-soul to the cool blues bite of B.B. King’s earlier hit. Unfortunately, even a smooth-soul arrangement of Bread’s "Baby I’m A-Want You" can’t rescue the tune from its treacly origins; much better is the album’s other Bread cover, "Sweet Surrender."
At times, such as on her own "Ridin’ High," the lighter tones in Joseph’s voice resemble Diana Ross and other pop-soul singers of the era such as Edna Wright of Honey Cone. But those are the exceptions, as Joseph retains her gospel-soul sound, even as the songs and productions are smoothed out. Many of the album’s songs segue without gaps, which makes this a difficult disc (without some manual editing) to split up as individual tracks for your iPod. Overall the arrangements aren’t as vital as on her previous outing, the drumming having lost its snap and some of the choices sounding dated. Joseph’s fans will be happy to have this back in print domestically (greatly undercutting the price of last year’s Japanese reissues), but those new to her catalog should start with 1973’s "Margie Joseph." [©2008 redtunictroll at hotmail dot com]
