Shotgun

After recording three albums for ABC, Shotgun moved to MCA with its fourth album, Shotgun IV. This 1980 LP also marked a few personnel changes; trumpeter William Gentry and drummer Robert Resch were gone, and trumpeter/trombonist Rickey Sebastian (who also contributed some lead and background vocals) came on board. Neither the personnel changes nor the label switch had much of an impact either creatively or commercially -- the band still couldn't score a major hit, and it still provided a lot of material that was adequate but not remarkable. Hard funk items like "Come On and Dance," "I Want You," and "Go Head" are catchy enough, but Shotgun still had yet to qualify as funk royalty. However, this album does contain the Detroiters' most memorable ballad: "Standing in Need of Love." Funk, not ballads, was the band's main focus, but "Standing in Need of Love" points to the fact that Shotgun could, on occasion, deliver an enjoyable Northern soul ballad. None of the songs on this LP are bad -- Shotgun never recorded a bad album, but unfortunately, it never recorded a great one either. ~ Alex Henderson, All Music Guide