The Soul Children
Finders Keepers
Written-By – J. Colbert, N. West 3:09
A2 Good-Bye Is Not The Only Way
Written-By – H. Scales 3:36
A3 We Got To Get Our Thing Together
Written-By – C. Arline, J. Avery, J. Dean 4:08
A4 If You Move I'll Fall
Written-By – J. Dean, W. Wooten 5:59
B1 A Little Understanding
Written-By – D. Davis, S. Mancha 3:17
B2 Midnight Sunshine
Written-By – G. Beene, M. Griffin 3:28
B3 Finders Keepers
Written-By – J. Colbert, N. West 2:52
B4 I'm Just A Shoulder To Cry On
Written-By – A. Vance, D. Davis, H. Scales 4:20
B5 One Broken Home For Sale
Written-By – C. R. Cason 5:20
Label: Epic – PE 33902
Format: Vinyl, LP, Album
Country: US
Released: 1976
Genre: R&B Soul
Style: Southern Soul
Soul Children's Finders Keepers (1976) is a strong post-Stax album for the trio (J. Blackfoot, Norman West, Shelbra Bennett), blending their signature raw Southern soul with a slightly more polished Epic Records sound, featuring powerful vocals, gospel-infused ballads, and rocking openers like "Highway," showing their ability to adapt while retaining their fiery essence, with fans praising its excellent sound quality and classic soul feel.
The album marks their move to Epic after Stax's collapse, finding them as a trio after Shelbra Bennett's departure, but still delivering top-notch soul.
While more polished than their Stax work, it retains a raw, Southern soul edge, with gospel-drenched vocals from J. Blackfoot preventing ballads from becoming too sweet.
Standout Tracks: "Highway," the opening track, is noted for its powerful, rocking soul-rock sound, offering a strong counterpoint to softer Philly soul of the era.
Reviewers describe it as a superb example of their artistry, full of "heaping helpings" of soul, with many songs considered stunners.
Fans on Amazon highlight excellent sound quality and the CD's value, with some searching for it for years.
In essence, Finders Keepers is considered a high-quality, essential release for fans of Southern soul, showcasing the Soul Children's enduring talent and vocal power on a new label.
Genesis
Written-By – Sam D. Bell 8:24
A2 Don't Take My Sunshine
Written-By – Bobby Newsome 3:59
A3 Hearsay
Written-By – John Colbert, Norman West 3:38
A4 All That Shines Ain't Gold
Written-By – John Gary Williams, Tommy Tate 3:55
A5 It Hurts Me To My Heart
Written-By – Bettye Crutcher 3:00
B1 I'm Loving You More Everyday
Written-By – James Mitchell 4:52
B2 Just The One (I've Been Looking For)
Written-By – A. Isbell, E. Floyd, S. Cropper 3:20
B3 Never Get Enough Of Your Love
Written-By – Eddie Floyd 4:22
B4 All Day Preachin'
Written-By – Bettye Crutcher, Bobby Manuel 3:55
B5 Get Up About Yourself
Written-By – Carl Hampton, Homer Banks, Raymond Jackson 4:12
Label: Stax – STS 3003
Format: Vinyl, LP, Album
Country: US
Released: 1972
Genre: R&B Soul
Style: Seventies Soul, Deep Soul
Released in 1972 on Stax Records, Genesis is widely regarded as one of the most creative and soulful releases by The Soul Children. The album showcases a transition from their raw, early Memphis sound toward a more sophisticated and modern vocal style.
The album is heavily rooted in gospel, even more so than typical Stax recordings of that era. Tracks like "I Want To Be Loved" and "Don't Take My Sunshine" are noted for their fervent "church-hewn" wailing and belting.
A core strength is the interplay between the four leads—two male (J. Blackfoot, John Colbert) and two female (Shelbra Bennett, Anita Louis). J. Blackfoot’s raspy, Otis Redding-esque baritone and Shelbra Bennett’s aching alto provide a distinctive, "incendiary" contrast.
Mentored by the legendary team of Isaac Hayes and David Porter, the album features "Isaac Hayes-ian" arrangements with shimmering strings and moody, atmospheric textures on tracks like "It Hurts Me to My Heart".
Key Tracks:
"Hearsay": A standout #5 R&B hit, this track features hard-socking funk rhythms in the style of Sam & Dave.
"I Want to Be Loved": An eight-minute opening epic that reworks a Willie Hightower original into a slow-burning, ethereal soul experience.
"All Day Preachin’": A high-energy gospel-soul jam written by Bettye Crutcher.
Critical Reception
Collectors often cite it as a "stone-cold classic soul slab" and a "monumental" side-A listening experience. The album is frequently paired with their 1974 follow-up, Friction, on single-disc CD reissues available through retailers like Amazon. Dusty Groove, or specialized soul outlets like Soul Brother Records.
The album marked a more sophisticated, yet still deeply soulful, direction for the group, proving their strength as a premier Stax act after the departure of Sam & Dave.
In essence, Genesis is considered a definitive deep Southern Soul record, capturing The Soul Children at their fiery best with a mix of chart-toppers and enduring album cuts.