by Alex Henderson and Thom Jurek
When the Northern soulsters of Motown were employing strings and pop elements, Sam & Dave rejected pop wholesale and made sure they kept their Memphis soul simple and raw. Their albums never sounded heavily produced, and therein lies much of the appeal of Hold on, I'm Comin' (their first album for Atlantic). This duo didn't believe in hiding behind lavish productions. Like the blues and gospel artists who paved the way for soul music, Sam & Dave knew how to seize the moment. From such major hits as &You Don't Know Like I Know& and the title song to solid album tracks like the riveting &It's a Wonder& and the tough yet vulnerable ballad &Just Me,& this album epitomizes Memphis soul in all its unpretentious, down-home glory. [A song-for-song reissue of the original LP, the CD version of Hold on, I'm Comin' that Atlantic put out in 1991 is rather skimpy by CD standards (as are the CD versions of Soul Men and I Thank You). Certainly, Atlantic could have provided some bonus tracks. In 2006, the Collectables label gave it a straight reissue again.]