1. Let Yourself Go
2. Don't Do It
3. I Want To Take You Home (To See Mama)
4. Could I Be Falling In Love
5. Stuck In Chicago
6. Diamond In the Rough
7. Keeping Down Confusion
8. Please, Don't Give Up On Me
9. Music To My Ears
10. I Hear the Love Chimes
This second of three underrated releases for Hi finds Syl Johnson slowly but surely transforming from a credulous loser into a standup guy no one messes around with. Diamond in the Rough could be viewed as a creative bridge between the slightly formulaic Hi approach of 1973's Back for a Taste of Your Love and the more bluesy and rewarding Total Explosion from 1975. Different from the southern soul belter which distinguished fellow Hi second leaguers Otis Clay and O.V. Wright, Johnson's unique feat lies in his earnest yet sometimes ironic take on love and relationships.
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