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Lesser-known southern soul group The Tempests was based in Charlotte, North Carolina, formed in the mid-1960s by keyboardist Mike Branch and his guitarist brother John. With the lineup comprised of nine white musicians, including a formidable horn section and Nelson Lemmond on drums, The Tempests’ most outstanding element was provided by lead singer, Hazel Martin Junior, an African American with a powerfully expressive voice, able to convey great emotion through long-held notes and strong command of vibrato. Signed to Mercury’s Smash subsidiary, debut album Would You Believe! was released in 1968 and since this beautiful long-player is simply a winner from start to finish, it’s hard to understand why the group was not destined for massive immediate and lasting success, though the album’s eventual championing by DJ Guy Hennigan at the Top of the World club in Stafford, UK, made it a sought-after item on the Northern Soul scene of the 1980s, with ‘Someday’ and ‘I Don’t Want To Lose Her’ among the most prominent favourites. ‘Ain’t No Big Thing,’ ‘What You Gonna Do’ and ‘Would You Believe’ are also highly rated, as is their likeable take of Sam and Dave’s ‘You Don’t Know Like I Know.’ This edition also includes four bonus tracks, taken from two Smash 45s.
Tracklisting
- Would You Believe
- Ain’t No Big Thing
- Happiness
- Ain’t That Enough
- I Cried For You
- Someday
- Long Live Our Life (bonus)
- Out Of My Life (bonus)
- Can’t Get You Out Of My Mind
- I Don’t Want To Lose Her
- You Don’t Know Like I Know
- You (Are The Star I Wish On)
- In The Cold Light Of Day (bonus)
- The Way To A Man’s Heart (bonus)