At the time of the release of
Think (About It) in 1972,
Lyn Collins had been a member of
James Brown's performing revue for about two years. Her full-throated voice had earned her the nickname "the Female Preacher" and a shot to record her own album. Of course, the Godfather was in the producer's chair, writing four of the nine tracks, directing
the J.B.'s as they laid down their usual funky grooves, and liberally adding vocals throughout. The title track is the main point of interest here; from
Collins' throat-ripping vocals to the track's nasty groove to
Brown's background interjections, this is a killer. (Rob Base & DJ E-Z Rock later sampled the track for their rap classic "It Takes Two"). The rest of the record is a little uneven: "Just Won't Do Right" is a good doo wop-ish ballad with some churchy organ and great vocals by
Collins and
Brown, "Wheels of Life" is a nice little groover that sounds like vintage
Aretha Franklin, and "Women's Lib" is a very slow ballad that lets
Collins show off her anguished yowl of a vocal to its fullest. Where the album stumbles is on the covers of familiar songs. Her versions of
Bill Withers' "Ain't No Sunshine" and the
Gamble & Huff classic "Never Gonna Give You Up" are mediocre, and worst of all is her leaden take on "Fly Me to the Moon." Still, the record is worth tracking down for hardcore
James Brown or funky soul fans. The less devoted should look for "Think (About It)" on one of the many compilations on which it appears. ~ Tim Sendra