Nightbirds
| Nightbirds | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
.jpg) |
||||
| Studio album by Labelle | ||||
| Released | September 13, 1974 | |||
| Recorded | 1974 | |||
| Studio | Sea-Saint Studios, New Orleans, Louisiana | |||
| Genre | Funk, funk rock, R&B | |||
| Length | 36:40 | |||
| Label | Epic | |||
| Producer | Allen Toussaint | |||
| Labelle chronology | ||||
|
||||
| Professional ratings | |
|---|---|
| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| Allmusic |
  |
| Robert Christgau | A- |
| Rolling Stone |
|
| Wilson & Alroy's Record Reviews |
 |
Nightbirds is an album by the all-female singing group Labelle, released in 1974 on the Epic label. Notable for their biggest hit, the number-one song, "Lady Marmalade", it became the group's most successful album to date.
Labelle was a group in search of a hit. Despite creative control - member Nona Hendryx began composing most of the group's material - the group hadn't had commercial success with their first three albums - Labelle, Moon Shadow and Pressure Cookin', all albums had flirted with elements of rock music mixed with the group's pop/gospel roots from their days as Patti LaBelle and the Bluebelles. Despite this, the group became a draw as opening acts for The Who, Laura Nyro and The Rolling Stones. Following their opening act on the Stones' 1973 U.S. tour, Epic Records signed the act to its roster.
The group was assigned to notable New Orleans producer Allen Toussaint and the group was sent to Toussaint's hometown of New Orleans to work on the record that would eventually be released as Nightbirds. The album was recorded in two months. Despite their adaptation of glam rock-styled outfits during their live performances, the group incorporated elements of funk music, something they started to include in their last album, Pressure Cookin on the song, "Goin' On a Holiday". The funk direction continued with songs such as "Are You Lonely", "Somebody, Somewhere", "Space Children" and their famous hit, "Lady Marmalade". More experimental rockers such as "Nightbirds" and "It Took a Long Time" showed the group's range while the album closer, "You Turn Me On" was a sexy R&B slow jam, which shocked past listeners of the Bluebelles' material.
The album became their most successful to date, becoming their first album to hit both the pop and R&B charts - neither of their previous albums charted - peaking at number seven on the latter chart, thanks to the phenomenal success of the funk single, "Lady Marmalade", one of the few songs not written by Nona Hendryx. The group's only other hit single, "What Can I Do For You", was written by Queens, New York musicians Edward Batts and James Ellison, who would continue to work for Patti LaBelle following the split of the group. The other members of their touring band, Jeffrey Shannon, drums, Hector Seda, bass, and Leslie "Chuggy" Carter, percussionist, where all responsible for their individual instrumental arrangements, of which, many where used on the Nightbird album and on all live performances.
...
Wikipedia