The Fuzz -

The Fuzz was an American soul group from Washington, D.C., that released a 1971 album on Calla Records.

Members: Sheila Young (vocals), Barbara Gilliam [aka Roberta Gilliam] (vocals), Val Williams (vocals)

Background

The Fuzz formed in Washington, D.C., around vocalists Sheila Young, Barbara Gilliam, and Val Williams. Gilliam also appears in credits as Roberta Gilliam.

The group first appeared The Passionettes for a June 1970 single on Uni Records, co-produced by Karl Tarleton and Andre Williams.

A. “Sister Watch Yourself” (2:45) — Edna Shelby, C. Paul
B. “Stand by Your Man” — Tammy Wynette, Billy Sherrill

After the Uni single, the trio signed with Calla Records and adopted the Fuzz name with Sheila Young as songwriter. Calla issued “I Love You for All Seasons” in December 1970 with an instrumental version on the B-side. The single reached No. 10 on the Billboard R&B chart and No. 21 on the Hot 100.

The Fuzz

The Fuzz released their self-titled album in 1971 on Calla Records.

Sheila Young wrote four songs and co-wrote three with arranger Joe Tate. Side A links four short spoken preludes to full vocal numbers. The second side contains five discrete songs, including one Miracles cover.

Young waxes philosophical in the prelude to “I Think I Got the Making of a True Love Affair,” an uptempo girl group pastiche with Brill Building echoes and giddy “tra-la-las.” She rhapsodizes about summer love in advance of “I’m So Glad,” which jaunts carefree with lively tenor across punctual piano figures. Her narrative turns wintry on “It’s All Over,” a string-laden ballad with elongated vowels and simmering semitones.

On the compact second half, The Fuzz interlaces ballads with the upright “Search Your Mind,” a Motown-style entry evocative of The Temptations‘ idealistic Whitfield phase. “I Love You for All Seasons” renews the May-to-December arc of the earlier love cycle, replete with string-saturated sweetness.

A1. “I Think I Got the Making of a True Love Affair (Prelude)” (2:32) — Tate, Young
A2. “I Think I Got the Making of a True Love Affair” (2:29) — Tate, Young
A3. “I’m So Glad (Prelude)” (0:42) — Tate, Young
A4. “I’m So Glad” (2:41) — Tate, Young
A5. “All About Love (Prelude)” (0:45) — Tate, Young
A6. “All About Love” (2:53) — Tate, Young
A7. “It’s All Over (Prelude)” (0:44) — Tate, Young
A8. “It’s All Over” (3:33) — Young

B1. “Like an Open Door” (2:27) — Young
B2. “Search Your Mind” (3:05) — Matthew Allen
B3. “Leave It All Behind Me” (3:00) — Young
B4. “Ooh Baby Baby” (5:32) — Smokey Robinson, Warren Moore
B5. “I Love You for All Seasons” (2:55) — Young

Sessions took place with arranger Joe Tate under Carr-Cee Productions. “I Love You for All Seasons” preceded the album as a domestic and international hit that reached No. 43 in Canada and No. 100 in Australia.

“Like an Open Door” appeared as a June 1971 single (b/w “Leave It All Behind Me”) and reached No. 14 R&B and No. 77 on the Hot 100. “I’m So Glad” followed in September (b/w “All About Love”), which reached No. 35 R&B and No. 95 pop.

The Fuzz reached No. 43 on the R&B album chart and No. 196 on the Billboard 200.

Discography: