No Frills

by The Persuasions

Product Description:

The Persuasions: Jerry Lawson, Herbert Toubo Rhoad, Jimmy Hayes, Jayotis Washington (vocals).

Any Persuasions' album on which these keepers of the doo-wop flame warble the Partridge Family's "I Woke Up This Morning" (as they do here) is by definition something of a departure. Elsewhere on the album, however, they hew to their familiar format, which is to say it includes covers of early R&B (Roy Hamilton's "You Can Have Her," Clyde McPhatter's "Treasure of Love") and gospel tunes, with the occasional pre-doo-wop pop standard thrown in for variety (here it's Frank Loesser's "What Are You Doing New Year's Eve?"). It's all gorgeously sung (as usual) but the group's sound is slightly expanded here; original second tenor Joe Russell can be heard on about half the songs, while soprano Beverly Rohlehr adds interesting vocal shadings to the likes of "I Wonder Do You Love the Lord Like I Do."