by Andrew Hamilton
Back Where I Belong marks the Four Tops' return to Motown after stints with ABC and Casablanca Records. The foursome also united with the hit songwriting and production team of Holland-Dozier-Holland on some cuts. The slow, meandering &I Just Can't Walk Away,& not one of HDH's best, died upon release, while the much better, shuffling, percolating &Make Yourself Right at Home& suffered from a total lack of promotion. &Hang,& a duet with the Temptations, had a good message and sparkling, creative vocals, but got stuck as the B-side of the debut single; few, if any, DJs flipped it over. The duet with Lady Soul Aretha Franklin &What Have We Got to Lose& pales in comparison to earlier duets by the two super acts. Overall, the Four Tops are more mellow and subdued here than in the past.