The Eight Minutes - An American Family (Reissue) (2023)

Released on Perception Records in 1972 'An American Family' is an album that showcases The Eight Minutes, an eight-piece discovered by Soul legend Doris Jones and made up of three members each from the Goggins and Sudduth families with the additions of Juwanna Glover and Carl Monroe. It is an album of vocal soul that veers from territory occupied by The Jacksons to The Undisputed Truth to the psych-folk-soul of Norman Whitfield produced acts and vocal groups such as Friends of Distinction.

An American Family is produced by the band's manager James L. Porter who contributes, as writer or co-writer, six songs to the album including the powerful anti-Vietnam War, anti-poverty and pro- environment protest song 'Time For A Change'. With its heavy bassline and call and response chorus Time For A Change is a real call to arms and deserves its place alongside Marvin's What's Going On and Stevie's Living For The City and Village Ghetto Land.

Other songwriting duties are shared by future Disco dons Patrick Adams and Leroy Burgess as well as Soft Soul Records boss Kenny Jones, Jackson 5 songwriter Sherman Nesberry, Chicago's Ernie McFall and band member Hedda Sudduth. All of which combine to create an album of top drawer vocal soul and Black music.

As part of the Perception/Today Records re-issue series this digital release has four extra tracks in the shape of single releases 'Here's Some Dances', 'Will You Still Be Mine', 'Let's Sign A Peace Treaty' and 'Looking For A Brand New Game'.