Average White Band – Feel No Fret

Average White Band – Feel No Fret

Released in 1979, Feel No Fret is the seventh studio album from Scotland's Average White Band (AWB), continuing the group's distinctive fusion of American soul, funk, R&B and dancefloor grooves. By this stage AWB had established themselves as one of the most successful British groups working in soul and funk, with their musicianship and rhythm-heavy sound earning them a major following on both sides of the Atlantic. The album reached No. 15 in the UK Albums Chart and No. 32 in the US.

Recorded in Nassau, Bahamas, Feel No Fret captures AWB moving further towards the polished, sophisticated soul and funk production that characterised the end of the 1970s. The band's core musicians included Alan Gorrie, Hamish Stuart, Onnie McIntyre, Roger Ball, Malcolm 'Molly' Duncan and Steve Ferrone, whose combination of tight rhythm playing, soulful vocals, guitar, keyboards and horn arrangements remained central to the Average White Band sound.

The album opens with “When Will You Be Mine”, a slow-burning piece of sophisticated soul, before moving through the melodic “Please Don't Fall In Love” and AWB's distinctive interpretation of Burt Bacharach and Hal David's “Walk On By”. Their version transforms the classic songwriting composition into a smooth, rhythmically driven late-70s soul performance and became a minor hit in both the UK and US.

The title track “Feel No Fret” provides one of the album's longer, groove-oriented performances, while Side B gets underway with “Stop The Rain”, a particularly notable track for collectors of funk and sample-driven soul. “Atlantic Avenue” is another standout, combining AWB's tight rhythm section with their trademark horn-led arrangements and accessible songwriting; it was also released as a single and reached the UK singles chart.

The remainder of the album moves between smooth soul, funk and more dance-oriented material, with “Ace Of Hearts”, “Too Late To Cry” and “Fire Burning” rounding out the original nine-track LP. Guest musicians on the sessions included notable players such as Michael and Randy Brecker, Ernie Watts, Airto Moreira and Luther Vandross, adding further depth to AWB's already sophisticated studio sound.

For collectors of Average White Band vinyl, Scottish funk, blue-eyed soul, 1970s R&B and classic funk records, Feel No Fret is an important late-70s AWB album. It sits comfortably alongside records by artists such as Earth, Wind & Fire, The Isley Brothers and Tower of Power, while retaining the distinctive musicianship and groove that made Average White Band such an influential British soul act.

Tracklist

Side A

1. When Will You Be Mine
2. Please Don't Fall In Love
3. Walk On By
4. Feel No Fret

Side B

1. Stop The Rain
2. Atlantic Avenue
3. Ace Of Hearts
4. Too Late To Cry
5. Fire Burning