Average White Band: AWB Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		0.0
Audio		5.0
Extras		0.0
Overall		4.0

Average White Band: AWB Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Jeffrey Kauffman June 25, 2024

It may kind of ironic that Average White Band and/or AWB is probably best remembered for their massive hit instrumental "Pick Up the Pieces", since as this album (which includes that iconic single) points out just how vocally adept this Scottish R&B aggregation really was. From the first moments of "You Got It" and continuing through several subsequent tunes, there's an ebullience to the vocals that may be "average white" but which hints, at least at times, at the same sort of graceful combo platter of funk, R&B, and jazz that elevated such definitely non white groups like Earth, Wind and Fire. In that regard, it's perhaps salient to note that AWB topped Billboard's Black Album Chart back in the day, which kind of commendably suggests that good music is completely color blind. The fact that this enterprise was produced by Arif Mardin also certainly gives it the imprimatur of soul genius, and there's an appealing if never over produced luster to the arrangements and overall approach to the album.

The album's track listing can be seen in the screenshots of the disc menu I've uploaded to accompany this review.

Average White Band: AWB Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

This is another Rhino Quadio release with a static main menu, and this particular disc is authored in my preferred way with the colored buttons on your remote allowing you toggle between audio codecs, so that you don't even really need to have your monitor or display on when listening.

Average White Band: AWB Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

AWB features DTS-HD Master Audio 4.0 and DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 options. The quadraphonic mix is absolutely stellar, and announces the consistently clear separation between front and rear imaging from the get go, with bass and drums clearly pumping from the rear channels and vocals and other instrumentation emanating from the front. If you get close to the rear channels, "You Got It" also provides a nice example of the ambient wash from what is positioned forward in the rear channels as well. The album's best remembered tune, "Pick Up the Pieces", is another fine example of really wonderful and I'd dare say fun sounding separation, with those great throbbing guitars that start out the piece blasting from behind and then those almost Boots Randolph-esque duo saxes kicking in in front. The entire mix here is similarly immersive throughout the album, and both vocal and instrumental forces are well prioritized and presented with sterling fidelity.

Average White Band: AWB Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

There are no supplements on the disc. The insert booklet recreates the original credits and also features the Quadio staple of a photo of the original master tape boxes with labels. There's also Rhino's standard advice on bass management audio setup. The disc is silkscreened with the classic tri-color Atlantic Records label.

Average White Band: AWB Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

I frankly don't think I'd listened to AWB for decades before revisiting it for this review, but I have to say this was a surprisingly energetic and enjoyable experience. The horns are punchy, the vocals soulful, and the songcraft often rather freewheeling and not willing to be pinned down to any given genre. The fact that Average White Band kind of forged a "fusion" path in Scotland gives me license to recommend another absolutely fantastic band, especially for those who may like Brasilian music, MacUmba (an unbeatable pun, in a way). Audio is absolutely fantastic, and AWB comes Recommended.