The Dynamics

The Dynamics are a soul and Motown band from Detroit, Michigan, from the late 60s to 70s. 38 years after the original release of First Landing (1969), the album is re-issued on Hacktone Records. They must’ve remastered the audio or something, because the sound is amazing, especially if you listen with good headphones.

The CD actually looks like a record mock-up, which I’ll include a photograph of other CD that looks like records here.

If you know anything about Detroit, you probably know that it was the home of Motown Records (“Motor City” Detroit). The Dynamics formed under this heavy influence of Motown, but what makes this band stand out from the other Motown acts was that they had three lead singers and were managed by Ted White (who was married Aretha Franklin to at the time).

He flew the band down to Memphis, Tennessee, to record their first album First Landing. The rhythm section by the American Recordings crew, the same people that was responsible for Aretha Franklin, Wilson Pickett, and Elvis Presley (with his comeback hits “Suspicious Minds” and “In the Ghetto”).

Anyway, most of the music back then was also very regionized, due to poor communications between all the radio stations. So, unfortunately, the only big hit for the Dynamics was “Ice Cream Song”.

There’s a few really good songs off First Landing, but I’m going to have to go with “Ain’t No Sun”. The reason is because this is the Dynamics’ first recorded record that they put out. It’s also important to note that this song was originally by the Temptations, but from what I’ve read the Dynamics’ version has a very different sound. I don’t have the Temptations song, but you can hear a snippet here.