Tower of Power's 'Urban Renewal'

Tower of Power‘s ‘Urban Renewal’ is an album (the last to feature lead singer Lenny Williams) released in January 1975 by Warner Bros. Records.

WATCH

RVM prescreen

1 . Only So Much Oil In The Ground

2 . Only So Much Oil In The Ground

3 . Come Back Baby (8/17/12)

4 . Maybe It’ll Rub Off (8/17/12)

5 . To Say The Least You’re The Most

6 . Willin’ To Learn

7 . Willing To Learn

8 . Give Me The Proof

9 . Walkin’ Up Hip Street (Las Vegas)

10 . Walkin’ Up Hip Street (Bb King’s, NYC, 4/17/12)

LISTEN

Track Listing : 1.Only So Much Oil In The Ground (Emilio Castillo, Stephen Kupka) – 03:46 . 2.Come Back, Baby (Bruce Conte, Lenny Williams) – 03:21 . 3.It’S Not The Crime (Emilio Castillo, Stephen Kupka) – 01:45 . 4.I Won’T Leave Unless You Want Me To (Greg Adams, Emilio Castillo, Stephen Kupka) – 03:28 . 5.Maybe It’Ll Rub Off (Emilio Castillo, Stephen Kupka, Chester Thompson) – 03:15 . 6.(To Say The Least) You’Re The Most (Emilio Castillo, Stephen Kupka, Chester Thompson) – 02:28 . 7.Willing To Learn (Emilio Castillo, Stephen Kupka) – 04:35 . 8.Give Me The Proof (David Bartlett) – 02:35 . 9.It Can Never Be The Same (Emilio Castillo, Bruce Conte, Stephen Kupka) – 04:43 . 10.I Believe In Myself (Emilio Castillo, Stephen Kupka) – 02:00 . 11.Walkin’ Up Hip Street (Chester Thompson) – 05:50

Musicians : Lenny Williams – Lead Vocals . Bruce Conte – Guitars, Backing Vocals . Chester Thompson – Keyboards, Organ, Piano, Clavinet, Backing Vocals, Bass Pedals . Francis “Rocco” Prestia – Bass . David Bartlett – Drums (Except On (7)) . David Garibaldi – Drums On (7) . Carter Collins – Congas, Percussion . Greg Adams – Trumpet, Flugelhorn . Emilio Castillo – Tenor Saxophone, Backing Vocals . Mic Gillette – Trumpet, Trombone, Backing Vocals . Stephen Kupka – Baritone Saxophone . Lenny Pickett – Clarinet, Bass Clarinet, Alto Flute, Baritone, Tenor & Soprano Saxophones . Bootche Anderson – Vocals . Marilyn Scott – Vocals . Pepper Watkins – Vocals

Production : Produced By Emilio Castillo . Kalifornia Kurt Kinzel – Assistant Engineer . Tom Flye – Engineer . Alan Chinowsky – Engineer

Package : Bruce Steinberg – Art Direction . Barrie Goshko – Design

Recorded 1974 At Record Plant, Sausalito, California.

Released In January 1975 By Warner Bros. Records.

(Source Tower of Power – Urban Renewal | Official Site)

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Wilson & Alroy’s Record Reviews
Back to short tunes, precise arrangementsand a split between funk and ballads…The most consistently entertaining TOP album I’ve heard so far, although no single track is as good as “What Is Hip?” […]

Robert Christgau
What softened me up was the novelty effects on baritone sax, but I’ve always been a sucker for songs about the energy crisis and “victimless crime” anywayand they do all right with affairs of the heart for once–even borrow a silly one from Johnny Guitar Watson. Renewed, maybe–urban I assume […]

365AlbumsAYear @ RateYourMusic
Their influence on the music industry immediately following this release was undeniable. Evidence of this is the music of the Average White Band which is clearly strongly influenced by Tower of Power. […]

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