This one is from me, for shmoo:

I've given this a few listens now and, while it still has time to grow on me some more, I don't want to wait too long.
First impression of this album is that is sounds great. That classic, early-70's Curis Mayfield sound, with the slinky grooves, and a lush, yet spacious production. Yeah, there are horns and there are strings and there are organs and all the rest, but you can actually hear the space between the instruments. And that is a big part of what is so appealing about the sound.
But the bottom line is, the assumed star of the show, Baby Huey, himself, is kept out of the spotlight far too often. There are long jams, and instrumentals that go on and on. When Huey's voice finally pops up, it is a wonderful and occasionally a startlingly powerful instrument, such as on his cover of Sam Cooke's "A Change is Gonna Come." We just don't hear it enough.
Also, speaking of the Sam Cooke cover, as far as the songs, themselves are concerned, that is the best tune on the record. The songwriting, overall, is just not all that great. I mentioned the sound of the record before and, as wonderful as it is, that is pretty much all that is going on here. The sound.
Thank God that it is such a magical sound because, unlike the best of the Curtis Mayfield stuff from the same era, this does not have the songwriting to match.
Not that the album is a total wash. I am still going to listen to this. It is gonna sound great when I am in the mood for this kind of thing. And, who knows? It may still grow on me. But, for now, it's just a great-sounding
6.5/10

Thanks for sending this to me, though, Eric. I have been curious about this one for a while and have just either forgotten about it or not pulled the trigger when I had the chance.
So, this is a great addition.

Not that I'd pick this over Superfly or Mayfield's debut (I wouldn't) but strange that you would say this because Mayfield produced this album, released it on his Curtom label and wrote nearly half of the songs. He later recorded Hard Times on one of his albums, but Baby Huey's was the original version.

Yeah, I knew of Curtis' involvement. And then, maybe it does come down to some production choices... because the melodies just get lost for me with all the noodling and whatnot. It's just not as sharp as some of the best Mayfield stuff, I guess. And maybe, aside from "Hard Times" Curtis just saved the best of his own stuff for his own releases.

Thanks Todd. I still haven't had a chance to listen to your suggestion yet, but hopefully will tonight.

No, thank YOU, Eric!
I am going to keep listening to this one, because this is the kind of thing that I generally like, but I have a notoriously short attention span when it comes to long jams. Sometimes they have to kick in after multiple listens.
And, I have been curious about this one.