Assemblage - Album (2024 Remastered) (1971/2024)

Westbound's remarkable catalog reissue campaign continues apace with yet another long-lost gem from the label's forgotten corners. Album was the sole full-length release by Detroit quintet Assemblage, and although the 1971 set kicks off with a cover of the Stones' "Satisfaction"—a seemingly obligatory move for bands during this time—this record is nonetheless full of surprises. While '70s Detroit was legendary for an incredibly fertile scene that blurred the lines between soul, funk, rock, and proto-punk and was home to a disproportionate number of iconic musicians, Assemblage were among quite a few acts and players that completely slipped under the radar. Featuring just one "notable" member in the form of future Bob Seger keyboardist Robyn Robins, the other four musicians hit their career peaks with Assemblage, which, considering that Album has been out of print and not reissued since its original release, indicates exactly how high that peak was.

Still, the lack of commercial success for Album is in no way indicative of its quality. Assemblage not only manages to make "Satisfaction" sound fresh with an expansively soulful rendition, they also squeeze gospel-tinged sunshine pop (a cover of Bill Moss & the Celestials' "Everything Is Going to Be Alright"), sleazy piano-based rock ("Dirty Gurty"), slightly funky garage-psych ("Lean on Me"), and more into the grooves of Album. While Robins' keyboards and the lead vocals of Stuart Avery are quite powerful, the band's true secret weapon is the rhythm section of bassist Wally Stahl and drummer John Ohrlich. They manage to infuse each cut not just with a rock-solid foundation, but also with a sense of exploratory adventure that gives guitarist Paul Kingery plenty of room to dig into his fuzz/wah toolbox. The overall effect makes Album the textbook definition of a solid and somewhat revelatory late '60s/early '70s rock record that's as inspired by the freak scene as it is by funk and soul; and while there were scores of similar records released at the time, this is one that's well worth revisiting, and this fantastic reissue definitely does it justice. © Jason Ferguson

Tracklist
1. Satisfaction (2024 Remastered) (5:44)
2. It's Not Easy (2024 Remastered) (6:52)
3. Dirty Gurty (2024 Remastered) (4:52)
4. Drink Deep (2024 Remastered) (5:35)
5. Lean On Me (2024 Remastered) (3:57)
6. Everything Is Going To Be Alright (2024 Remastered) (3:30)
7. Black And White (2024 Remastered) (3:40)
8. Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Sailor (2024 Remastered) (2:39)
9. Love Saves All (2024 Remastered) (2:34)