FREDA PAYNE - Unhooked Generation : The Complete Invictus Recordings (2001) 2CD | FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Freda Payne was one of the great female soul singers of the early '70s -- her voice was powerful enough to rank highly among her contemporaries, but what set her apart was her daring material, its consistency, and the wonderful, ambitious production given her by the Invictus label. All of this is apparent on a mere single-disc collection, but for the best appreciation of the full scope of her achievements, the 41-track collection Unhooked Generation: The Complete Invictus Recordings is necessary for any serious soul collection. Though this is a lot to ingest at once, part of the reason for that is that it's dense, layered music; there's a lot going on in the lyrics and music is busy, filled with glorious details that help elevate this music ahead of much of the soul music of the time. As her biggest hits suggest, Payne pushed the subject material of soul further: "Band of Gold" dealt with a marriage falling apart because of male impotence; "Bring the Boys Home" was an anti-Vietnam protest song. This hints at what's covered on the rest of her albums for Invictus, all available here. What's remarkable is how Payne and her team of writers sound fearless throughout these recordings, pushing the boundaries of contemporary soul forward -- even if the songs don't cover new thematic ground, or are merely good generic pieces, there's something in the arrangement, production, or performance that elevates it above its peers. So, while this is a lot of music, it's worth exploring -- music this rich deserves such an exhaustive, loving presentation and any serious soul fan will be well-served by acquiring this. Stephen Thomas Erlewine  
Tracklist 1 :
1     Unhooked Generation 2:32
Ronald Dunbar
2     The Easiest Way to Fall 2:37
Ronald Dunbar
3     Band of Gold 2:56
Ronald Dunbar / Edyth Wayne
4     I Left Some Dreams Back There 3:18
Ronald Dunbar    
5     Deeper and Deeper 3:02
Ronald Dunbar / Norma Toney / Edyth Wayne
6     Rock Me in the Cradle (Of Your Lovin' Arms) 3:04
Ronald Dunbar / General Johnson    
7     Love on Borrowed Time 2:58
William Weatherspoon    
8     Through the Memories of My Mind 2:41
William Weatherspoon
9     This Girl Is a Woman Now 2:58
A.J. Bernstein / Vic Millrose
10     The World Don't Owe You a Thing    
11     Now Is the Time to Say Goodbye
Freda Payne    
12     Happy Heart 2:51
James Last / Jackie Rae
13     Cherish What Is Dear to You (While It's Near to You) 3:58     
Angelo Bond / Holland-Dozier / Holland
14     I Shall Not Be Moved 2:46
Holland-Dozier / Holland
15     I'm Not Getting Any Better 6:14
Holland-Dozier / Holland
16     Suddenly It's Yesterday 4:59
Holland-Dozier / Holland    
17     You Brought the Joy 2:57
Holland-Dozier / Holland    
18     He's in My Life 3:48
Ronald Dunbar
19     You've Got to Love Somebody (Let It Be Me) 3:03
William Weatherspoon
Tracklist 2 :
1     Instrumental Prelude 0:55
Holland-Dozier / Holland    
2     The Road We Didn't Take 4:19
Holland-Dozier / Holland
3     Bring the Boys Home 3:31
Angelo Bond / General Johnson / Greg Perry
4     Odds and Ends 3:46
General Johnson    
5     Mama's Gone 3:27
General Johnson    
6     How Can I Live Without My Love 2:57
Holland-Dozier / Holland     
7     Just a Woman 2:35
William Weatherspoon
8     Come Back 2:52
Holland-Dozier / Holland    
9     You're the Only Bargain I've Got 3:43
Ronald Dunbar / General Johnson
10     We've Gotta Find a Way Back to Love 3:07
Holland-Dozier / Holland    
11     Two Wrongs Don't Make a Right 3:22
Holland-Dozier / Holland / Richard Wylie
12     Rainy Days and Mondays 4:43
Roger Nichols / Paul Williams    
13     If You Go Away 6:34
Jacques Brel / Rod McKuen    
14     Right Back Where We Started From 3:49
Ronald Dunbar / M. Smith    
15     Mood for Love 3:08
Angelo Bond / Gary "Gazza" Johnson / Greg Perry
16     Reaching Out 3:20
Ronald Dunbar / Michael W. Smith     
17     For No Reason 2:37
Ronald Dunbar / M. Smith
18     The Man of My Dreams 4:15
Ronald Dunbar / M. Smith     
19     Mother Misery's Favourite Child 5:11
Holland-Dozier / Holland     
20     You Brought the Joy 2:57
Holland-Dozier / Holland
21     Band of Gold 3:42
Ronald Dunbar / Edyth Wayne
22     Deeper and Deeper 3:18
Ronald Dunbar / Norma Toney / Edyth Wayne