Father's Children: "Father's Children"

I first became aware of D.C. soul outfit Father’s Children through the archive release of their “Who’s Gonna Save The World” LP on the Numero label, music never issued when it was made in the early ‘70’s.  The “World” album was incredible, and so I knew I had to seek out the group’s self-titled LP from 1979, though I understood the sound of the band would be very different at that point, both because soul trends had changed drastically by the late ‘70’s and also because Wayne “Big Daddy” Henderson of The Crusaders produced the effort.  Henderson’s smooth behind-the-board touches are everywhere, but they actually fit quite well with the musical and vocal style of Father’s Children, both of which are inherently complex and layered.  There’s not a bad track here—there are P-Funk-flavored numbers (“Shine On,” “Dance Do It”), modern soul floor-fillers (“Hollywood Dreaming,” “Wild Woman”), and even jazz-fusion-tinged workouts (“Music Use It,” “You Can Get It”).  While it’s nowhere near as raw and edgy as their earlier “Who’s Gonna Save The World,” this “Father’s Children” LP on Mercury has its own sort of attraction, and the warmth of Henderson’s production allows the group’s evocative, unique sound to come through more clearly than ever.  Be on the lookout for this record, especially if you’re a boogie fan.