Minute by Minute MoFi edition

“Minute By Minute” saved the Doobie Brothers, who were on the verge of breaking up. Released on December 1, 1978, the album was created during a period when the sextet – consisting of Patrick Simmons (guitar, vocals), Michael McDonald (keyboards, vocals), Jeffrey “Skunk” Baxter (guitar), Tiran Porter (bass, vocals), John Hartman and Keith Knudsen (drums) – was in the midst of a creative crisis. But the recordings produced by Ted Templeman at Warner Bros. Recording Studios (North Hollywood, California) for the band's eighth album, were to change everything: “Minute By Minute” spent 87 weeks on the Billboard 200 and was certified triple Platinum by the RIAA. The single “What A Fool Believes” became a smash hit, reaching number 1 on the Billboard Hot 100. The title track and “Depending On You” were also released as singles and both reached the Top 30. “Minute By Minute” made the Doobie Brothers one of the big winners at the 22nd Grammy Awards: the album won the award for Best Pop Vocal Performance by a Duo or Group and was nominated for Album of the Year. The single “What A Fool Believes” earned them three Grammys, including Best Song and Record of the Year.

“Minute By Minute” is still considered a milestone in pop music – all the more impressive given that few believed in the potential of the album, which signaled a clear change of direction: it moved away from the boogie-heavy, country-influenced rock that had characterized the successful album series from the early to mid-1970s. As on the band's previous studio album, McDonald is once again at the center of attention. The musician, who was involved with Steely Dan, used his versatile baritone voice, his perfectionist arrangements and his penchant for unusual chord structures to give many songs an emotional and jazzy foundation. Nowhere is this more evident than on “What A Fool Believes,” which Rolling Stone ranked 343rd on its list of the greatest songs of all time. The recording process in the studio was very natural, partly because the Doobie Brothers wanted to recover from the somewhat disappointing response to their previous album – they simply trusted their instincts. The rest, as they say, is history.

The new edition of “Minute By Minute,” lovingly remastered at MoFi's California studio, presents this classic in impressive audiophile quality with a sound balance and depth that previous editions lacked. The strictly numbered Hybrid SACD – packaged in a high-quality mini LP-style gatefold sleeve – showcases the work of Ted Templeman, who also produced Van Halen's groundbreaking debut album: The sound is now open and crisp, with exceptionally clear vocals and the right mix of subtle sophistication and bluesy rawness.