The Chambers Brothers - The Time Has Come

7.5 - USA - 1968

The first studio album by the Chambers Brothers – who comprised of four gospel singing brothers from rural Mississippi along with a token non-Brother drummer – The Time Has Come seamlessly blends gospel, rootsy soul with electric, driving rock and roll. Mostly consisting of covers – including a very nice version of Curtis Mayfield’s “People Get Ready” and a pretty groovy version of Burt Bacharach’s otherwise schlocky “What The World Needs Now Is Love” – by far the stand-out track is the extended cowbell work-out “Time Has Come Today”, which has had the unfortunate legacy of casting the group as a bit of a one-hit wonder. Though the central one-chord jam that dominates the track probably goes on just a little bit too long, the ecstatic shout of “And my soul’s been psychedelicized!” is the album’s rallying cry. ‘Cause that’s what this record’s all about: classic soul amped up with fuzz guitars and pounding back-beats. Heavier than the Rotary Connection and more rootsy than Sly & The Family Stone.

Fun fact: The Chambers Brothers played their version of electrified, integrated rock ‘n soul at the same Newport Folk Fest where Dylan went electric. As far as I can tell, old man Pete Seeger didn’t try to take an axe to the power cables for their set.