David Brinston Page

David Brinston

Brinston first appeared on the radar when his Jomar Records release "Hit And Run" became a regional hit. Producer Marshall Jones released an album of the same name in 1996. Brinston had been extensively touring the chitlin circuit and pleasing crowds since 1992. Brinston recorded two albums for the small R & B label before enjoying another hit with "Somebody's Cuttin' My Cake" In 2001 the best disc of his career was released on Susie Q called "Fly Right", a great vehicle for his Al Green-like chops. Malaco Records signed him after he opened for Marvin Sease and he released his first for the label in 2005.

Brinston dropped an independent CD in 2006 ("Mississippi Boy") , before signing with Ecko Records and returning to form.

Album Discography

"Love Maker" (Labro 199?)

1 Dirty Lover
2 Take It Easy
3 Last One
4 Don't Say Good-Bye
5 Personal Lover
6 I Got What You need
7 You're Mine
8 Can I Change My Mind
9 Love Maker
10 Love Maker (Instrumental)

"Hit And Run" (Jomar 1996)

1. Hit and Run
2. Old Feeling
3. Trouble Maker
4. Home Recka
5. Last One
6. Love Maker
7. Take It Easy
8. Dirty Lover
9. Personal Lover
10. Don't Say Goodbye
11. Got What You Need

***** The title track is a classic pop/ soul song- an upbeat jam with a Marvin Gaye-like vocal. The sheer quality of these 11 songs is special- slow soul wailers like "Old Feeling" & "Last One" and toe-tapping, head-bobbing ear candy like "Trouble Maker", "Dirty Lover" & "Home Recka"- this truly is a "lost" retro-soul classic. Hopefully, some label will re-release this. The album was produced by Marshall Jones.

"Slow Down (From The Run Around)" (Jomar 1997)

1 Slow Down From The Run Around
2 Hit and Run
3 Old Feeling
4 Trouble Maker
5 Home Recka
6 Last One
7 Love Maker
8 Take It Easy
9 Dirty Lover
10 Personal Lover
11 Don't Say Goodbye
12 Got What You Need

A 12-track version of "Hit And Run" was released as "Slow Down" including the single "Slow Down (From The Run-A-Round)"

"The Real Deal" (R & B 1997)

1.Hit & Run
2.Just Can't Take It
3.My Wife
4.I'am Tangled Up
5.Shake Your Pants
6.Party Time
7.Friday Night Ladies Night
8.I'am With You Baby
9.Double Clutch
10.Just For Me

*** Moderate low-budget release featuring the funky "Double Clutch", which sounds like something that might come out of the Prince camp. "Just Can't Take It" is a smooth number with the disc's best vocal performance. "I'm With You Baby" ain't far behind. "Hit And Run" makes another appearance on this disc as well but it pales compared to the Jomar version.

"Too Hot" (R & B 1998)

1.I'm Packing Up In The Moring
2.Cha Cha
3.Shake That Booty
4.I Love Being Tied Down
5.Looks It's Over
6.I'm Sorry
7.Too Hot
8.Work With Me Baby
9.She Robbed Me
10.I've Joined The "Players Club"

** More modern soul blues from underrated singer. The romantic "I Love Being Tied Down" is a highlight, as is the kickin' dancer "Shake That Booty". An acoustic guitar introduces the pop confection "I'm Packin' Up In The Mornin'" and "I've Joined The Player's Club" is a fine midpaced Southern Soul cut. There's some weak spots that mark this release uneven like the goofy melody on "I'm Sorry". Meanwhile, "Looks Like's It's Over" is hampered by out of tune backing vocals. "Cha Cha" is a generic dance workout that you really can't "cha cha" to. Things got better next time around.

"Somebody's Cuttin' My Cake" (METT 1999/Ecko 2007)

1.Somebody's Cuttin' My Cake
2.Two Way Love Affair
3.Located
4.Joy
5.I'll Be There
6.Face It
7.Pay The Cost
8.Lay On You

**1/2 Yet another small label release contains some quality Southern Soul like the regional hit title cut, "Two-Way Love Affair", "I'll Be There" & "Joy".

"Fly Right" (Susie Q 2001)

1. Straighten Up (And Fly Right)
2. I Paid the Price
3. Same Old Feeling (Every Time)
4. Kick It
5. After All I Do
6. Don't Change the Blues
7. You're So Freak, Girl
8. I Caught Ya
9. Party ('till the Lights Go Out)
10. Love Me Girl
11. Straighten Up (And Fly Right) [Radio Cut]
12. I Paid the Price [Radio Cut]
13. You're So Freak, Girl [Radio Cut]
14. Party ('till the Lights Go Out) [Radio Cut]

**** The opener "Straighten Up (And Fly Right)" is straight out of Willie Mitchell & Al Green's cookbook of Hi Records Memphis soul groovin'. With an insinuating rhythm section and Brinston's mellifluous phrasing the song builds as a hypnotic head-bobbing jam. Great! The rest of the disc leans more to the upbeat Southern Soul and slower sweet soul ache of more modern times. "Party ('Til The Lights Go Out)" and "Kick It" are funky dancers, "I Paid The Price" is a sweet soul number about regret, "Same Old Feeling (Every Time)" a classic midtempo swayer. Brinston even nails a straight up blues ("Don't Change The Blues"). All 10 songs (there's also 4 "radio versions" tacked on) were co-written by Brinston mostly with Marshall Jones, the man behind his "Hit And Run" album.

"Rockin'" (Waldoxy 2005)

1. Junk in the Trunk
2. You Can't Trust Anybody
3. Hard Working Lady
4. Woman Enough for Me
5. Sweet Lolipop
6. Rockin'
7. I Need a Girl Like You
8. Should Have Been Me
9. Memories
10. I Can't Win
11. I Don't Wanna Loose Your Love
12. Fantasy

** Alternating between labels and producers for years, Brinston finally lands on a company with strong distribution. "Rockin'" is his fifth CD but he's best known for his Southern Soul classic "Hit And Run" from the album of the same name (produced by Marshall Jones). So it's odd that although Brinston is on a bigger label, the production on the disc is lower-budget than you'd expect from Malaco. Programmed rhythm, synthesizers and electric piano back the Al Green-inspired voice of Brinston (think Robert "Duke" Tillman) on most tracks. Programmed music may be the norm (Tyrone Davis did just fine for the label with this stuff) but compared to other Malaco releases "Rockin'"sounds small, which detracts from party dancers like "Junk In Your Trunk" and the Carl Sims-like "Rockin'". The production fares better on the slower tracks like the lovely "Memories" and "I Don't Want To Lose Your Love". But what's up with that awful vocal on "You Can't Trust Anybody"? The highlight for me is the percolating "I Need A Girl Like You" and romantic "Woman Enough For Me". This could've been quite a disc with beefier backing. For a better example of Brinston's work locate "Fly Right" on the Susie Q label or "Hit & Run" from Jomar if you can find it.

"Mississippi Boy" (R & B 2006)

1.Mississippi Boy

2.It Just Don't Pay

3.Let's Go Steppin'

4.Trap Set

5.Good Woman

6.Staying Power

7.The Bus Stop

8.Soldier Boy

9.Whiskey & Blues

10.I Believe It
*** Chitlin' Circuit veteran David Brinston is back on the independent route. After one disappointing disc for Waldoxy he's redeemed himself with the excellent "Mississippi Boy". The disc plays to his strengths- classic Soul. While it often gets packaged together, actual modern Southern Soul resembles the upbeat title cut, a paean to the great city, is the true style rather than generic "Party Blues" dancers with libidinal lyrics so popular nowadays. Brinston sings that swaying Soul- the kind you catch yourself singing along to even after one listen. "Trap Set", "Good Woman (With Bad Habits)", "It Just Don't Pay", "The Bus Stop" all deliver on melody rather than beats. This makes it resemble Brinston's masterpiece "Hit And Run". Only the tepid "Let's Go Steppin'" caves in to the formulaic, programmed dance music that's as disposable as a Bic razor. Obviously, more time was spent on actual songwriting, such as the moving "Soldier Boy". It's been done before- the letter home from a commissioned jarhead- but Brinston's pleading voice hits the spot. While real horns rather than synths would've sent this album thru the stratosphere, "Mississippi Boy" sounds "bigger" than many of the big budgeted music out there now. Good ole' Soul sangin' music.

"Here I Go Again" (Ecko 2007)

1. Here I Go Again
2. Let Me Hit It One More Time
3. Back It Up and Put It Here
4. After Party
5. Give Me All You Love
6. Love's Always Gonna Be Around
7. Ain't It Funny
8. Too Many Women
9. Come Back and Do It Right
10. Work That Thang
11. You Took That Dog in Me

***1/2 Brinston's debut LP "Hit & Run" is a classic of modern soul and a benchmark for the Southern Soul genre. Brinston hasn't hit those heights since but came close with "Fly Right", which featured the same producer as that record, Marshall Jones. Also his independent 2006 release "Mississippi Boy" played to his strengths- bumpers and ballads rather than Contemporary R & B. I mention "Hit & Run" because his latest disc captures some of that magic.

Now on his fifth record label, Ecko, Brinston delivers the goods with simple melodic bumps, ballads and beach. Though it's heavily synthetic music a singer like Brinston can still make it sound soulful. The set opens with the title track, a sweet dancer nearly ruined by obnoxious background vocals (that goofy "here I go here I go" bit). It sounds like an outtake from the "Hit & Run" sessions! The likely radio cuts though are the bump "Baby Let Me Hit It One More Time" and midtempo "Too Many Women", both have the strongest refrains on the LP. The latter also features a bona fide B-3 Organ part by John Ward, who this time gives co-production credited to frequent collaborator Morris J Williams. After a mediocre stretch Morris J has written some strong songs ("Love's Always Gonna Be Around", "After Party" with Big John Cummings, "You Took That Dog In Me" as well as the aforementioned cuts) and cut out that gurgling "bucka bucka bucka" percussion programming.. Also noteworthy is a superior take on the dancer "Work That Thang", which was rather lazy on Bill Coday's final Ecko CD "Take Me". Interestingly another cut from that album, "Back It Up And Put It There", is also here and is one for the Carolina shaggers.

"Party Time" (Ecko 2008)

1. I Just Love Women
2. Sometimes You Win Some
3. Crazy 'Bout You Baby
4. Hard Working Woman
5. It's Party Time!
6. You Are My Friend
7. Heaven Sent
8. Working It Out
9. I Wanna Have Some Fun
10. I'm a High Nature Man

*** Brinston's previous Ecko release ("Here I Go Again") went pretty much ignored upon it's release but it was quite good. Perhaps superior to this new one. Things start off strong with the bumpin', if lyrically-lame "I Just Love Woman", the current single "Sometimes You Win Some", "Crazy 'Bout You Baby" and "Hard Working Woman" but it tapers a bit from there before finishing strong with the catchy "Workin' It Out" and silly but tuneful "I'm A High Nature Man".

"Dirty Woman" (Ecko 2009)

1. Something I Want
2. I Finally Got a Good Woman
3. You Caught Me with My Drawers Off
4. Give It to Me
5. I Came to the Party
6. Dirty Woman - (featuring J. Blackfoot)
7. When I Put the Icing on the Cake
8. Back Up Man
9. I'm Still Waiting
10. I'm Faithful to My Baby
11. Don't Tease Me with It
12. Something I Want - (Remix featuring Ms. Jody)

"Beat It Up" (Ecko 2010)

1. Beat It Up
2. Let's Get Together
3. Booty Humpin' Grind
4. Back On The Backstreets
5. Take Me Back
6. Bounce That Booty
7. High Dollar Woman
8. Honest I Do
9. Bus Stop
10. I'm A Reformed Cheater

"It's Gonna Be A Showdown" (Delta Down 2013)

1. Hold On Me
2. Beverly Hills
3. Spend the Night
4. I Feel Like Drinking
5. The Recipe
6. Sweet Lips and Pretty Eyes
7. Show Down
8. Letting Me By
9. Fool
10. Southern Soul Lady

"Two Way Love Affair And Other Hits" (Ecko 2014)

1 Two Way Love Affair
2 You've Got Something I Want (Remix)
3 Dirty Woman
4 Booty Humpin' Grind
5 Pay the Cost
6 Here I Go Again
7 You Caught Me with My Drawers Off
8 I'll Be There
9 Beat It Up
10 I Came to Party
11 Back It up and Put It Here
12 After Party

"Back On Track" (Delta Down 2014)

1 Diamond in the Middle
2 One Way
3 Your Love (Is Unpredictable)
4 Tragic Love
5 911
6 What You Gonna Do (In the Morning)
7 It's Cold Out Here
8 Lonely Guy

"Backseat Rider" (Delta Down 2015)

1 Back Seat Rider
2 Just Like Your Mama
3 Running On Empty
4 I'm Going to Wait On You
5 Low Down, Dirty
6 Damn Near Hate Each Other
7 I Was Wrong
8 I Want to Thank You Baby

*** David Brinston is one of the most essential and representative artists of this modern day "southern soul/blues" style. That voice, a gruffer, nasally Al Green, is instantly recognizable and comfortable like thick warm socks on a chilly day. "Back Seat Rider" is album number 14 for Brinston who began his career auspiciously in 1996 with the classic album "Hit And Run" (later reissued with one new track as "Slow Down" a year later) on the now defunct Jomar Records. A journeyman, who has appeared on quite the number of record labels (Jomar, METT, Susie Q, Waldoxy, Ecko and his own R&B and Delta Down imprints), has settled into a reliable one album per year routine on his Delta Down label just like he enjoyed with Ecko Records. Despite the slight decline post-Ecko in production values he's always able to salvage the typically clunky, toy keyboard- sounding production so ubiquitous in the genre. This is his third album in a row released independently but the sound is full enough to get the job done. More importantly, the record has well-written songs, albeit stingy on quantity (only 8 cuts).

Fans will find plenty to like here, the Chicago soul of "Just Like Your Mama" praises a chip off the old block lady and bumpers "Back Seat Rider", "Running On Empty" are sweet, smooth and sure to illicit toe-tapping. Meanwhile, "Damn Near Hate Each Other" has the most noteworthy lyrics about relationships that turn from infatuation to barely tolerable contempt ("I was talking with a friend of mine/just out of curiosity/I asked him how you and your woman been together so long/'Cuz it seems like you never agree/He said 'now one day you will learn as the years turn/You better try to get what you need/There's no need to change/just go on and do your thing...we downright, straight up damn near hate each other')". The song also features a terrific Motown-styled bridge.

What would a David Brinston album be without a aching, deep soul slow jam? Well, "I Want To Thank You Baby" fulfills the need. In summary, "Back Seat Rider" delivers a healthy dose of the David Brinston formula and that's what we want.

"Sidepiece Motel" (Ecko 2017)

1 Dance with Me
2 I Drinks My Whiskey
3 My Outside Woman
4 I Got You
5 Southern Soul Party
6 Sidepiece Motel
7 I Ain't Goin' Nowhere Tonight
8 She's a Freak
9 Give Me All Your Love
10 You Got to Make a Change

****1/2 I don't know why he has before and wish David Brinston wouldn't leave Ecko Records again to record on his own. While he has produced some fine music ("Good Woman (With Some Bad Habits)" from 2006 comes to mind) it's just glaringly obvious Brinston and Ecko are made for each other. This album crackles, pops, crackles again, and snaps with catchy bumps...then popracklesnaps, etc. Both the title cut and the slowie "I Drinks My Whiskey" are instant classics. That voice, a gruffer, nasally Al Green, is instantly recognizable and comfortable like thick warm socks on a chilly day.

"Kitty Whipped" (Ecko 2018)

1 Kitty Whipped
2 Nothing Like Good Sex
3 Club Booty
4 I'll Do Me a Big Girl
5 I'm Taking a Stand
6 Daisy Dukes with Thigh High Boots
7 Sexy and You Know It
8 Gonna Have a Good Time [Clean]
9 Buckle Up
10 I Want to Show You Girl
11 Club Booty (Zydeco Remix)

"I'm A OG" (Ecko 2020)

1 I'm Hot in Mississippi
2 Can You Do It Again
3 You're Making Me Want Some
4 This is the Real Blues
5 I'm Getting You Ready
6 I Didn't Know You Was a Freak Like That
7 I Got Love
8 I'm An O.G.
9 Diamond In The Middle
10 Come Back To Me
11. I Didn't Know You Was A Freak Like That (Club Mix)

"Poundtown" (Delta Down 2022)

digital only album

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