Knock on Wood

Digitally remastered from the original stereo master tapes. If for no other reason, KNOCK ON WOOD is worth owning for the title track alone. Recorded at the legendary Stax/Volt label with Booker T. and the MG's, "Knock on Wood," written by Floyd, stands alongside any southern soul classic of the century. From the rifle-shot crack of the drums to Steve Cropper's steely Telecaster incisions, Floyd calls for thunder and lightning and receives it at every step. Elsewhere, the album is just as ambitious. Floyd and company actually have the chutzpah to take on J.J. Jackson's rattling "But it's Alright." While Floyd doesn't match Jackson's floor-pounding performance, the band locks into the groove and pushes Floyd very close to the raw power of the original. Floyd takes back his own "634-5789," which he originally wrote for Wilson Pickett. He transforms Chuck Jackson's "I Don't Want to Cry" into a staccato sensation, full of punchy horns and heart-on-your-sleeve pleas. The other Floyd-penned highlight is "I've Just Been Feeling Bad." A measured song sung with sweet control, it is a testament to Floyd's talents, not only as a writer but as an evocative singer as well.