Glass House
Glass House was an American R&B/soul group formed in Detroit, Michigan, in 1969 by the production team Holland-Dozier-Holland for their Invictus Records label.
The group served as a studio assembly of musicians led by vocalist Ty Hunter, alongside Scherrie Payne (sister of Freda Payne), Sylvia Smith, Larry Mitchell, and Pearl Jones. It operated primarily as a vehicle for Holland-Dozier-Holland's songwriting and production talents following their departure from Motown.
They released two albums: Inside the Glass House (1971) and Thanks I Needed That (1972), achieving moderate success with singles like "Crumbs Off the Table," which reached No. 7 on the R&B chart and No. 59 on the pop chart. Other hits included "I Can't Be You (You Can't Be Me)" (No. 33 R&B) and "Look What We've Done to Love" (No. 31 R&B), though chart performance declined by 1972 amid label issues, including a lawsuit from The Blossoms over a miscredited track.
Invictus disbanded the group around 1972 as success waned. Ty Hunter later joined The Originals at Motown, while Scherrie Payne became a member of The Supremes. The Glass House exemplified the short-lived "assembly-line" soul acts of the era produced by Holland-Dozier-Holland.
Thanks I Needed That
A2 A House Is Not A Home (Burt Bacharach / Hal David 3:17)
A3 I Don't See Me In Your Eyes Anymore (Brian Holland, Lamont Dozier, Scherrie Payne 3:44)
A4 Horse And Rider (Brian Holland, Lamont Dozier, Scherrie Payne 5:11)
A5 The Man I'll Never Have (Brenda Holt, Pearl Jones 3:08)
B1 Thanks I Needed That (Brian Holland / Lamont Dozier / Edward Holland, Jr.2:45)
B2 Giving Up The Ring (Brian Holland / Lamont Dozier / Edward Holland, Jr., Ty Hunter 2:39)
B3 Don't Let It Rain On Me (Brian Holland, Lamont Dozier, Scherrie Payne 3:28)
B4 Stealing Moments From Another Woman's Life (Brian Holland, Lamont Dozier 2:35)
B5 Let It Flow (Brian Holland, Lamont Dozier, Scherrie Payne 2:57)
B6 Don't Go Looking For Something (You Don't Want To See) (Edith Wayne, Ron Dunbar 3:33)
Label: Invictus – ST-9810
Format: Vinyl, LP, Album
Country: US
Released: 1972
Genre: R&B Soul
Style: Seventies Soul
Thanks I Needed That is the second and final album by the Detroit soul/R&B vocal group Glass House, released in 1972 on the Invictus label. Critical reception is generally positive, with praise for the strong vocals and production, though some critics felt it didn't quite reach the heights of their debut album or other label mates.
The album is rooted in soul and funk, featuring a solid rhythm section, horns, and strings on certain tracks, which gives it a full-bodied, high-energy sound. The group was known for its versatility, moving effortlessly between soul, funk, pop, and R&B styles.
The album is considered one of the great productions from the legendary Holland-Dozier-Holland label (Invictus). The production and arrangements are noted for their excellence, with one reviewer stating they could find no fault with the arranging throughout the two-disc set (referring to a reissue that combined their two albums).
Andrew Hamilton of AllMusic suggested that the album was "not as charming" as their debut LP, Inside the Glass House, and that the material didn't always fully showcase the singers' skills, though he still noted highlights. Other user reviews vary, from some considering it "good stuff" and a "treasure find" to a less enthusiastic opinion rating some songs as merely "average".
Overall, Thanks I Needed That is a well-produced and vocally strong album that is a worthy listen for fans of classic Detroit soul and funk.