Greatest Hits (1996)
As Tavares’ greatest-hits CDs go, one might overlook this one or one might not. While all their major hits are here unedited, some choice ones (i.e., “Is It Too Late” and “Remember What I Told You to Forget”) are not. Instead, EMI chose some tracks not often available on these sets (i.e., “Slow Train to Paradise” and “The Ghost of Love”). So, depending on your likes and dislikes you may choose this best-of package over some other ones by the New England-bred brothers, especially if you’re trying to accumulate all the cuts by the talented siblings who first burst on the recording scene as Chubby & the Turnpikes. (AMG)
Tracks:
1. It Only Takes a Minute
2. Heaven Must Be Missing an Angel
3. Slow Train to Paradise
4. Never Had a Love Like This Before
5. Check It Out
6. She’s Gone
7. My Ship
8. Don’t Take Away the Music
9. Whodunit
10. The Mighty Power of Love
11. One Step Away
12. The Ghost of Love
13. The Love I Never Had
14. I Wanna See You Soon
15. Bein’ With You
16. More Than a Woman
**Listen**
Tavares – Greatest Hits (1996)
Diciembre 18, 2008 a 9:58 pm (Soul)
Floaters – Float On (1977)
Diciembre 18, 2008 a 9:13 pm (Soul)
Float On (1977)
A short-lived spinoff group formed by onetime Detroit Emeralds members James Mitchell and Marvin Willis, Floaters scored a number one R&B and number two pop hit with their debut “Float On” for ABC. It was neither a lyrical nor vocal triumph, but still was among the biggest selling R&B singles of 1977. Lead singer Charles Clark, along with Larry Cunningham, Paul and Ralph Mitchell, and Jonathan Murray weren’t able to sustain whatever magic they generated with “Float On.” The next two singles were actually superior performances to the hit. “You Don’t Have to Say You Love Me” and “I Just Want to Be With You” demonstrated that Clark could be an effective ballad singer, but neither could move beyond moderate R&B chart status. (AMG)
Tracks:
1. Everything Happens For A Reason
2. Float On
3. Got To Find A Way
4. I Am So Glad I Took My Time
5. I Bet You Get The One You Love
6. No Stronger Love
7. Take One Step At A Time
8. You Don’t Have To Say You Love Me
**Listen**
The Trammps – Disco Inferno (1976)
Diciembre 18, 2008 a 5:37 pm (Disco)
Disco Inferno (1976)
The success of the title track, featured in Saturday Night Fever, likely overshadowed the remainder of the album. Disco Inferno, the second full-length the Trammps released in 1976, features five other cuts, all of which are laced with the kind of Philly soul-rooted elegance heard on the group’s biggest hit, with the likes of Norman Harris, Allan Felder,Ron Kersey, and Ron Tyson involved with the songwriting, arranging, and production. “I Feel Like I’ve Been Livin’ (On the Dark Side of the Moon)” was the only other charting single, but at least two others — especially the opening “Body Contact Contract” — deserved regular rotation. (AMG)
Tracks:
1. Body Contact Contract
2. Starvin’
3. I Feel Like I’ve Been Livin’ (On the Dark Side of the Moon)
4. Disco Inferno
5. Don’t Burn No Bridges
6. You Touch My Hot Line
**Listen**
Kc & The Sunshine Band – 25th Anniversary Collection (1999)
Diciembre 18, 2008 a 4:53 pm (Disco)
25th Anniversary Collection (1999)
In 1999, Rhino celebrated the 25th anniversary of KC & the Sunshine Band’s formation with this two-CD anthology. But technically, 1999 was their 26th anniversary — the soul/funk/disco band was formed in 1973, not 1974. For the casual listener and the budget-minded, a better and more concise choice would be Rhino’s 1990 CD The Best of KC & the Sunshine Band, which summarizes their contributions with 16 tracks. But if your interest in KC goes beyond casual, 25th Anniversary Collection isn’t a bad release to have. The set contains all of the essential ’70s hits offered on The Best of KC & the Sunshine Band, including “Get Down Tonight,” “(Shake, Shake, Shake) Shake Your Booty,” “That’s The Way (I Like It),” “I’m Your Boogie Man,” and “Keep It Comin’ Love,” as well as “Wrap Your Arms Around Me,” “I Like To Do It,” and the ballad “Please Don’t Go.” But 25th Anniversary Collection also has its share of material that is enjoyable though less than essential — you need to be a seasoned, diehard KC fanatic to fully appreciate the Spanish-language version of “Please Don’t Go” (titled “Por Favor, No Te Vayas”), Tom Moulton’s 1994 remix of “Get Down Tonight,” or KC and Teri DeSario’s 1980 cover of Martha & the Vandellas’ “Dancin’ in the Streets.” And if you’re that much of a collector, you’ll appreciate Brian Chin’s comprehensive, informative liner notes — the writer has no problem articulating why KC’s music was so popular in the ’70s and why his classic grooves excited many hip-hop, dance-pop and house enthusiasts in the ’90s. Rock critics might have dismissed KC in the ’70s, but time has made it clear that KC’s admirers — not the critics who gave him scathing reviews — were the smart ones. (AMG)
Tracks:
Part 1
1. Get Down Tonight
2. That’s the Way (I Like It)
3. Blow Your Whistle
4. Sound Your Funky Horn
5. Queen of Clubs
6. I’m a Pushover
7. Shotgun Shuffle
8. I’m So Crazy (‘Bout You)
9. Rock Your Baby (Single Mix)
10. (Shake, Shake, Shake) Shake Your Booty
11. Boogie Shoes
12.I Like to Do It
13.I’m Your Boogie Man
14. Wrap Your Arms Around Me
15. Black Water Gold
16. I Get Lifted
Part 2
1. Keep It Comin’ Love
2. It’s the Same Old Song
3. Do You Feel All Right
4. Who Do Ya Love
5. Do You Wanna Go Party (Full-Length Album Version)
6. Please Don’t Go
7. I Betcha Didn’t Know That
8. Yes, I’m Ready
9. Let’s Go Rock & Roll
10. All I Want
11. Dancin’ in the Streets
12. Give It Up
13.Por Favor No Te Vayas (Please Don’t Go)
14. Please Don’t Go ‘92 (US Radio Edit)
15. Get Down Tonight (A Tom Moulton Mix)
Listen: **1** **2** **3**
Kc & The Sunshine Band – Part 3 (1976)
Diciembre 18, 2008 a 3:59 pm (Disco)
Part 3 (1976)
Arguably K.C. & The Sunshine Band’s best album and certainly one of its most successful, Part 3 will always be closely identified with the disco era. But for all the disco appeal that infectious gems like “Shake Your Booty,” “I Like to Do It,” “Baby I Love You” and “Wrap Your Arms Around Me” have, they also illustrate that this was very much a funk band. In fact, when the Floridians toured with the Ohio Players in 1976, it seemed a logical combination. Perhaps the most overtly disco-sounding hit on this album was “Keep It Coming Love,” a fine example of K.C. at his most charismatic. The songs demonstrate that while KC’s popularity had faded, his unapologetic funkiness definitely hadn’t. (AMG)
Tracks:
1. Baby I Love You (Yes I Do)
2. Wrap Your Arms Around Me
3. I Like to Do It
4. (Shake, Shake, Shake) Shake Your Booty
5. Let’s Go Party
6. Come on In
7. I’m Your Boogie Man
8. Keep It Comin’ Love
**Listen**
