One of the most compelling later albums on Philly International – a killer mix of jazzy numbers that have a very different style than most of the other Philly work at the time! Even though Leon Huff had been banging around in soul music for about 15 years – most famously as half of the Philly soul superteam Gamble & Huff – this 1980 LP was his first effort as an artist, instead of producer. In Chicago, the big highlight is the jazzy stepping track "I Ain't Jivin, I'm Jammin" – which grooves along with a sweet two-step piano sound that's still quite popular on the dancefloor – but the record is filled with nice tracks including "Tight Money", which was done earlier by Reuben Wilson, the funky "Your Body Won't Move If You Can't Feel The Groove", the breezy instrumental "No Greater Love", "Tasty", "This One's For Us" and "Latin Spirit". LP, Vinyl record album

Sparkling modern soul from the lovely Phyllis Hyman – and an album that has the singer picking up the wonderfully smooth groove that had become the Philly International sound of the mid 80s. This format works surprisingly well for Phyllis – quite possibly more so than it did even for longer-running artists on the label – as it gives her a great showcase for the more sophisticated and adult sort of themes that were really emerging in her music, the kind of classy soul that Hyman helped forge strongly at the time. Titles include the great numbers "Old Friend", "Ain't You Had Enough Love", "If You Want Me", "Living All Alone", and a nice version of "What You Won't Do For Love". LP, Vinyl record album

Maybe the third great Philly studio group of the 70s – after MFSB and Salsoul Orchestra – a killer combo who provided backing grooves to plenty of great club tracks over the years – and who step out strongly here on their own debut album! Bunny Sigler helps give the album a sharp focus – with his own production and songwriting in play – in modes that are very much like his own best club tracks of the time – but the group is more than great enough on their own – with a funky edge that definitely lives up to their name, and a groove that's even sharper than the two aforementioned contemporary combos. Lead vocals are by James Carmichael, who's totally great – and titles include "Don't You Wanna Party", "Never Let It Go Away", "I Got My Mind Made Up", "Dark Vader", "Wide World Of Sports", and "You Say You Want Me To Stay". LP, Vinyl record album

A landmark little record from Grace Jones – a set that started off as one of those "hey, let's see if this model can sing" sort of records – but which has gone onto become an enduring classic! Most of the tunes are older ones, but they're remade with a soaring Sigma Sound groove by the best in Philly – taking sometimes-cloying lyrics and pushing them into hipper disco territory for the 70s – all with that odd wink and subtle sense of irony that would emerge more clearly in Jones' later records. Tom Moulton produced and mixed, and titles include "I Need A Man", "La Vie En Rose", "Sorry", "Tomorrow", "What I Did For Love", and "Send In The Clowns". LP, Vinyl record album

A great Memphis sound from the second greatest instrumental group on Stax next to Booker T & The MGs – heard here on a massive record that really pushes The Mar-Keys to the next level! On previous records, the combo always had a sound that was a bit brighter than Booker and his group – still soul, but not nearly as sharp. Yet this time around, they really dig deep – and have a way of smoking out plenty of the best soulful elements associated with the Stax Records sound – that great way with a heavy-stepping groove, instrumentation that's tight yet never slick, and solo moments that burst out and really give the tunes a hell of a lot of personality! The rhythm jumps out of the grooves on numbers like "Honey Pot", "Grab This Thing" and "Philly Dog", and the album winds up with a James Brown medley that's pretty darn swingin too. LP, Vinyl record album

Teddy Pendergrass and crew get a bit more political than on earlier releases, and adopt the righteous bubbling soul groove that had put the O'Jays over the top a few years earlier – with incredible results! The title cut – "Wake Up Everybody" – would prove to be a great example of the political Philly International hit formula applied to socially conscious themes, but the record probably scored even bigger with the club crossover hit "Don't Leave Me This Way". Other tracks include "Keep On Lovin You", "Tell The World How I Feel About Cha Baby", "I'm Searching For A Love", and "You Know How To Make Me Feel So Good" – the latter two of which also feature female vocals by Sharon Paige. Bobby Martin, Norman Harris, and Ronnie Baker did the arrangements – and this was Teddy's last LP with the group. LP, Vinyl record album

A landmark album for the O'Jays – a set that moved them from the indie ranks to 70s megasoulstatus! After years of bumping around on a variety of labels, and in a variety of styles, the group really exploded with this wonderful set – an album that has them soaring along in the righteous Philly groove of the early 70s – a sound that turned out to be a perfect foil for the trio's sublime, yet earthy harmonies. Arrangements are by some fo the best of the core Philly scene – Thom Bell, Norman Harris, Ronnie Baker, and Bobby Martin – and the album's overflowing with great tunes that completely redefine the sound of group soul in the 70s! Includes megahits "Back Stabbers" and "Love Train" – plus "Shiftless, Shady, Jealous Kind of People", "When The World's At Peace", "Time To Get Down", "Who Am I" and more! LP, Vinyl record album

Fantastic early O'Jays! The album's the first to feature the group meeting up with the Gamble/Huff team – a significant shift from their earlier work on Imperial, with a style that still retains all the vocal hardness of those days, but which makes a shift into a sweeter soaring soul groove! The move had been taken with similar success by Jerry Butler and Archie Bell & The Drells – and although the sound's a lot different than the group's later work for Philly International, it's a sign that they're really finding their voice, and a style that would push them to the top! Titles include "I Should Be Your Lover", "One Night Affair", "Deeper", "Just Can't Get Enough", "I've Got The Groove", and "You're The Best Thing Since Candy" – and arrangements are by Bobby Martin, Thom Bell, and Richard Rome. LP, Vinyl record album

Sweetly stepping funk from The Rimshots – here moving from their rawer early sound into a tighter mode that was much more in keeping with the Philly scene of the time! The set's got a really full ensemble group feel – similar to other All Platinum classics by Brand New Funk and Wood Brass & Steel – a style that might be called disco at times, but which has a more laidback approach, and a more organic funk-based sound at its core. There's some great tripped-out guitars on a few cuts – stepping over the grooves with a chromatic sound that reminds us a bit of The Spirit Of Atlanta – and the best numbers burn with a rolling groove that would make the Rhythm Makers proud! Tracks include "Groove Bus", "Do what You Feel", "Walter's Inspiration", "Now Is the Time", and the group's cover of "7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 (Blow Your Whistle)". LP, Vinyl record album

Fantastic work from the second chapter of The Spinners – the moment when the group departed Motown, moved to Atlantic, and got some superb Philly soul treatment at the hands of Thom Bell! Unlike some groups, who maybe sounded best with a Detroit touch, it took the sophisticated Philly arrangements and production of Bell to really set The Spinners free – as they hit the heights with singles one after another during this early Atlantic run, most of which are featured here on selections from 1973 and 1974. There's a joyous groove that fits the groups harmonies wonderfully – as you'll hear here on this all-hit set of tracks that virtually defines the sound of AM radio soul. Titles include "One Of A Kind (Love Affair)", "Ghetto Child", "I'll Be Around", "Then Came You", "How Could I Let You Get Away", "They Just Can't Stop It", "Mighty Love", "Sadie", "Could It Be I'm Falling In Love", and "Rubberband Man". LP, Vinyl record album

The Temptations on Atlantic Records – sounding different than their Motown years, and still pretty darn great! The group's got some wonderful help here from the team of Brian and Eddie Holland – still very much in fine fine form, and coming up with some backings that have a warm modern soul groove that really works great with the group's harmonies – a great step forward they might never have gotten at their previous label – almost handled here as if the Temps were some bold new discovery in soul, getting really top-shelf treatment. Otis Williams is firmly in place with a fine lead vocal, and there's a smooth grooving feel here that really matches the bigger Philly groups on Atlantic at the time. Titles include "That's When You Need Love", "Mystic Woman", "Ever Ready Love", "Touch Me Again", "I See My Child", and "You're So Easy To Love". LP, Vinyl record album

Smooth female soul from one of Philly's hottest female trios – Gamble & Huff's big answer to First Choice, and an equally important force in 70s female soul! The album's got a nice mixture of Philly groove and tighter crossover arrangements from the likes of Norman Harris, Bobby Martin, Lenny Pakula, and Richard Rome – all top-shelf Philly soul talents who really help move the album past the territory of the girl group soul of the trio's earlier work! Titles include the hit "When Will I See You Again", plus the long-running classic "Dirty Ol' Man", and the cuts "Can't You See What You're Doing To Me", "I Didn't Know", "I Like Being A Woman", and "Year Of Decision". LP, Vinyl record album

A killer little soul group who recorded with John "Monster" Davis in the mid 70s – really soaring with a groove that rivals some of their bigger contemporaries on the east coast group scene! Touch Of Class sing in a style that's sometimes fragile, but often more suited to the soaring grooves that Davis gives them on the album – a mode that's partly disco, partly pop, and which should have been as huge as any of their Philly or New York contemporaries. There's a "slightly different" feel to the record that we really like – and tracks include "Love Means Everything", "Anything", "One Half As Much", "Love Me Tonight", "I'm In Heaven", and "You Got To Know Better". And just for the record, this appears to be the same record as I'm In Heaven, issued on the Midland label in 1976 – but it's presented here on another label with a date of 1981. LP, Vinyl record album

The Trammps are still burning strong at the end of the 70s – never losing their Philly groove despite a run on the charts and much bigger fame than most of their contemporaries – and in a way, the album's almost a back-to-basics affair that's pure Philly all the way! Arrangements here are by Norman Harris, Ron Kersey, and Ron Baker – who've taken the group into a mode that's perhaps got some of the new club touches being explored more at Salsoul than Philly International – but which still works tremendously well for the group. Tracks are all full, flowing, and and aimed at the dancefloor – and although there's not really any standout hits or hooks here, that aspect of the album is almost a welcome relief, given that the group could be going for easy hits at this point. Titles include "Love Insurance Policy", "Whole World's Dancing", "My Love It's Never Been Better", "Soul Bones", "Love Magnet", and "More Good Times To Remember". LP, Vinyl record album

Dexter Wansel keeps up the space jazz funk groove that was begun on Life On Mars – with those fat, thumping bass lines, elastic lead guitar, atmospheric soul vocals and loads and loads of keys – spatial work on Rhodes, Moogs and ARPs! It's all done in a funky style not always heard on Philly! Dexter arranged and produced just about everything – and cuts include "All Night Long", "Voyager", "Solutions", "Latin Love", and "Time Is The Teacher". LP, Vinyl record album

Brilliant work from Philly arranger Dexter Wansel – an album that moves the focus back to soul a bit more than on his Life On Mars set, but which also keeps in plenty of jazzy touches! Dexter's groove here is similar to the best work he did with other Philly vocalists in the same time – and the set features guest vocals from Jean Carn and Terri Wells, sliding into a warmly soulful realm on the mellower tracks, and stepping out with a fully jazzed up groove on the more upbeat numbers. Titles include "What The World Is Coming To", "Dreams Of Tomorrow", "Holdin On", "Dance With Me Tonight", "Disco Lights", and "Prelude #1". LP, Vinyl record album

An excellent album by Rance Allen – one of the most overlooked talents in Stax's early 70s roster, and a real genius for blending his gospel roots with influences of the soul and funk scene of his time. Proof of this is the album's great remake of "There's Gonna Be a Showdown", done in a style that's more rootsy than other Philly versions, but which uses that good Philly bounce to push Rance's deep baritone into a whole new groove. Other good tracks include "To the Other Man", "If I Could Make the World Better", and "That Will Be Good Enough For Me". LP, Vinyl record album

Sublime work from Blue Magic – a record that still has them singing in the sweet harmony sound of earlier records, but which also picks up a fuller sound and a bit of a groove – thanks to stone Philly arrangements by Norman Harris and Ron "Have Mercy" Kersey! A number of tracks add in a bit of moog that sound surprisingly great next to the group's harmonies – electrifying them a bit without overwhelming them – and letting Blue Magic step way past their fragile harmony roots into the forefront of Philly group soul at the time! Tracks include the groovers "We're On The Right Track" and "Magic Of The Blue", the ballads "Chasing Rainbows" and "Loneliest House on the Block", plus "What's Come Over Me", which is a duet between the group and Margie Joseph. LP, Vinyl record album

A strange but great chapter of The Blue Notes – working here without Harold Melvin or Teddy Pendergrass, but still sounding pretty great on their own! This version of The Blue Notes is a male quartet – not the Melvin group with Sharon Paige who were recording for ABC – and they get some fresh help in the studio from George Perry, who brings in this soaring groove that still echoes earlier Philly work, but also has a bit more of a clubby vibe overall! The style's never disco, but makes for some great uptempo soul – the sort that really lets the group's wonderful vocal style soar strongly – a rich blend that's totally great even without Teddy, and which has a great mix of raspy leads and warm harmonies. Titles include the wicked jazzy dancer "The Girl Makes Me Wanna Sing" – plus "It's Over", "Memories", "Standing By You Girl", "People Are Running Around", and "The Truth Has Come To Light". LP, Vinyl record album

Bunny Sigler produced this one by Carl, and it's definitely got a lot of Bunny's Philly disco influences running through it. You won't find any "Bad Mamma Jamma" tracks on here – but you will find a lot of up-tempo cuts with a dancefloor sound. Titles include "Live For Today", "Let's Groove", "Willing & Able", "Spend The Night", and "Universal Girl". LP, Vinyl record album

Sublime smooth soul from Jean Carn – who by this point has really honed her act into a polished one, perfect for the rising modern soul groove of late Philly. The record features production by Jerry Butler, Dexter Wansel, and Eddie Levert – but Jean unites the whole thing with her mature sense of poise, and her warm and loving vocals on classic cuts like "My Love Don't Come Easy", "Was That All It Was", and "When I Find You Love". A real gem – and another winner for one of soul music's greatest ladies! LP, Vinyl record album

Late Philly Soul from Cashmere – who get some great production help here from Bobby Eli, Bunny Sigler, and Ron Dean Miller – all in a snapping 80s groove, but with some really warm touches! There's a softer feel to the vocals than you might hear in other groups of this nature – kind of an echo of quiet storm male vocal leads (sung by Dwight Dukes), mapped onto more beat-heavy numbers that have a pretty catchy groove overall. Titles include "Can I", "Cutie Pie", "Don't Keep Me Waiting", "We Need Love", "Fascination", and "You're All I Need". LP, Vinyl record album

The standout classic from Curtom disco diva Linda Clifford – and an album that showed that Chicago could rival Philly in the clubby groove department! Linda has a proud presence that really matches that of her better-known sisters in the City Of Brotherly Love – and she's singing here with a strong sense of personality that really sets the album apart from other female disco albums of the era. One of the greatest examples of this is her stunning "Runaway Love" – which has a bad-rapping, almost Marlena Shaw-esque monologue in the middle – but other tracks are equally nice, and include "Gypsy Lady", "If My Friends Could See Me Now", "Broadway Gypsy Lady", "You Are You Are", and "I Feel Like Falling In Love Again". Arrangements are by Gil Askey – who also produced the set in collaboration with Curtis Mayfield! LP, Vinyl record album

The debut album from Five Special – a wonderful group who push an older harmony soul style firmly into the 80s groove generation! Decked out in skinny ties, suspenders, and soft linen jackets, Five Special manage to keep the vocals sweet while picking up the groove – working with producer Ron Banks to come up with a warm style that has some great touches of jazz at the bottom – a really sophisticated groove that holds up beautifully throughout, with almost a legacy of Philly group soul from the 70s, or some of the hipper Detroit productions too. Titles include "Do It Baby", "It's A Wonderful Day", "Why Leave Us Alone", "It's Such A Groove", "Baby", and "You're Something Special". LP, Vinyl record album

Margie Joseph gets a hipper treatment than on earlier records – a mix of east coast styles that adds in some Philly and early modern mellow arrangements, both of which provide a great contrast to Margie's southern-tinged vocals! The approach here is great – a fulling up and fleshing out of Joseph's initial promise – with strong arrangements from Arif Mardin, focused around smaller combo backing by players who include Bernard Purdie on drums, Richard Tee on keyboards, and Norman Harris on guitars. The groove is nice and lean on the bottom, but Margie's vocals are augmented by a brace of backing singers – Judy Clay, Cissy Houston, and others – all of whom create a sense of interplay that's similar to Aretha Franklin with The Sweet Inspirations on earlier records. But Margie's also upfront in the mix on most numbers – singing personally, and somewhat intimately with an easygoing sense of soul. Titles include Margie's own "Ridin' High", Paul Kelly's "Come Lay Some Lovin On Me" and "Come With Me", Norman Harris' "(Strange) I Still Love You", and a great version of Stevie Wonder's "To Know You Is To Love You". LP, Vinyl record album

A groundbreaking record that forever changed the course for male soul music in the 70s – a set that has the young Teddy Pendergrass fronting the Blue Notes with a sound that's completely sublime – a mix of rough and smooth, personal and polished – which really pushed the music forward strongly for generations! The strength of the record really comes through in these amazing long tracks that have Teddy speaking, then singing – "I Miss You" and "Be For Real" – delivering a message of mature, masculine power – very much in keeping with the new values that Philly International were putting forth. The whole album's great, though – a sophisticated soul masterpiece, with the tracks "Ebony Woman", "Yesterday I Had The Blues", and "Let It Be You". LP, Vinyl record album

An extra clubby effort from People's Choice – a record that has them moving over to Casablanca after their albums for Philly International, but still staying strongly in their groove, thanks to production from Tom Moulton at Sigma Sound Studios! Tracks are upbeat, but funky – mixing the lead vocals and keyboards of Frank Brunson with some even more soulful female backing voices, and an overall groove that's in the tight Sigma mode that was starting to show up strongly at Salsoul. Tracks are long, but less disco than funky club – and the mix of male and female vocals together often creates a slightly righteous feel that you don't always get on this sort of record. Titles include "Warm Nights Soft Lights", "Bad Dancin Rita", "My Feet Won't Move", "Special Things For You", "If I Knew Then What I Know Now", "You Out To Be Dancin", and "Sweeter Than Honey". LP, Vinyl record album

The soaring debut of one of the greatest groups of the disco era – and one that would go onto be the sound of Salsoul Records too! The large mostly-instrumental ensemble is headed up by Vince Montana – who brings plenty of Philly disco touches into play with the group's wonderful blend of tight rhythms, jazzy instrumentation, and full strings – a blend that comes off perfectly, and with a surprisingly lean groove – thanks to Montana's vision, and help from arranger Ron Baker too. There's some surprisingly funky moments at times – that sharp edge of the Sigma Sound rhythm section – and titles include "Chicago Bus Stop", "Salsoul Rainbow", "Salsoul Hustle", "Tangerine", and "You're Just The Right Size". LP, Vinyl record album

An incredible single from Tavares – mellow-stepping club work, served up in some amazingly warm production from Bobby Martin – with a laidback Philly groove that brings out some wonderful harmonies from the group! The tune's incredibly catchy, and even the instrumental is great – as it still features the catchy vocal chorus! 12-inch, Vinyl record

Sweet electric soul from Carol Williams – a rich voice from the disco generation, served up here with some great Philly club arrangements from Vince Montana! The groove is great, right from the get-go – thanks to rhythm from the team of Bobby Eli, Norman Harris, and Ronnie Baker – and Carol's vocals slide in strongly with a style that echoes soul styles from a few years before – and reminds us at this great point, the singer wasn't always subservient to the grooves on the cuts! Vince Montana plays a bit of vibes on the record – and titles include "Rattlesnake", "Just Feel", "My Time Of Need", "This Time May Be The Last Time", "Love Is You", and "Come Back". LP, Vinyl record album

The second collaboration between the Jacksons and the Gamble & Huff production team for Philly International – and a nice little sleeper that we like more and more over the years! Like the preceding album from the team, the pairing's a great one – and the Jacksons' pop soul harmonies match up very nicely with the full, rich sound of the Philly groove! Titles include "Music's Takin' Over", "Goin' Places", "Different Kind Of Lady", "Even Though You're Gone", "Jump For Joy", "Heaven Knows I Love You, Girl", "Man Of War", "Do What You Wanna", and "Find Me A Girl". LP, Vinyl record album

Quite possibly our favorite album from MFSB – the legendary Philly instrumental group from the 70s! The record's completely sublime all the way through – and is perhaps the most perfect illustration of that subtle blend of funk, soul, and disco that makes the group so great – a sound that was copied by others like Salsoul Orchestra or Instant Funk, but almost never done as perfectly as on this sweet little set! The album's got some chorus vocals on a few cuts, but mostly hangs out in an instrumental mix of Philly rhythms, jazzy solo moments, and some soaring strings that really help fill up the groove. There's a definite summer theme going on – and titles include the great McFadden & Whitehead "Summertime And I'm Feelin Mellow", plus "We Got The Time", "Hot Summer Nights", "Picnic In the Park", and "Sunnin & Funnin". LP, Vinyl record album

A set of classic groovers from Dee Dee Sharp – cut during her early stretch at Cameo/Parkway, at a time when Dee Dee was one of the hardest hard soul singers on the Philly scene! As you'd guess from the title, most of the tracks here have an upbeat groove that's aimed at the dancefloor – that best side of romping Philly 60s soul that's had such an influence on the Northern scene over the years – sung with that raspy, hard-edge sound that some of the Philly singers had going on a lot more than others from Detroit or Chicago. Titles include "Mashed Potato Time", "Hurry On Down", "Gravy", "Eddie My Love", "Gee", "Be My Girl", and "Slow Twistin". LP, Vinyl record album

A wonderful album from Dionne Warwick – probably her greatest record after the early years! The session was recorded with production by Thom Bell at Sigma Sound in Philly – and the style is a sweet blend of Philly modes, from fragile ballads to midtempo groovers, all done in a warm and intimate style that's never cloying, and which really gets at the depth of Dionne's soulful style. The record's one of those that you might have passed by for years, but which if you heard it playing at someone's house, you'd say "Dang! What the heck is that?" Great all the way through, and with tracks that include "Track Of The Cat", "His House & Me", "Once You Hit The Road", "This Is Love", and "Love Me One More Time". LP, Vinyl record album

Beat group soul from Germany – one of the few albums ever cut by Berry & The Movements, a group who's better known for their album on MPS, but who sound pretty darn great here too! The style of the album is drenched in the Memphis Stax sound of the late 60s – lots of heavy bass in the arrangements, and some nice raw guitar that makes for some edgey takes on familiar soul classics. The sound is raw, round, and mighty – and Berry's singing in some strangely-accented English, which gives the album a nice sound too! Includes versions of James Brown's "Ain't That A Groove" and "Papa's Got A Brand New Bag" – plus "Philly Dog", "I've Been Loving You Too Long", "Mustang Sally", "Don't Fight It", and "Sweet Soul Music". LP, Vinyl record album

The first album from the team of Marilyn McCoo & Billy Davis Jr – and a set that's arguably even more soulful than their work together in The 5th Dimension! The pair are lucky to have Groovesville soul maestro Don Davis at the helm – helping them hit a more mature, more contemporary sound that mixes equal parts club rhythms with some of the smoother styles of the late 5th Dimension years. McCoo's vocals are especially wonderful – classy, but always quite heartfelt – at a level that almost comes across like some of the best Philly International vocalists of the same period – especially on the soaring disco numbers! Titles include "You Can't Change My Heart", "You Don't Have To Be A Star", "We've Got To Get It On Again", "Easy Way Out", "My Love For You", and "I Hope We Get To Love In Time". LP, Vinyl record album

A masterpiece of modern soul that shows The O'Jays working in a style that would become their dominant mode for the next decade – not as upbeat and club-oriented as in the mid 70s years, with a sweet, sophisticated modern soul approach that really let the group grow stylistically. Mellow cuts like "Brandy" and "Cry Together" have a warm, supple, and sexy sound that never would have shown up on earlier records – and they're offset by some more upbeat numbers, like the seminal groover "Use Ta Be My Girl" – a tune that virtually became the theme for the second half of the group's career at Philly International! Other tracks include "This Time Baby", "Take Me To The Stars", and "Strokety Stroke". LP, Vinyl record album

As perfect a summation of the Teddy Pendergrass genius as you'll ever hope to find – a magnificent maturation of that incredible sound he first forged with Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes, set forth in even more confident, sophisticated soul territory! As with the Melvin albums, there's a nice mix here of sultry ballads and groovers – the latter of which are changing with the Philly modes of the time, but still very much at the top of their game – light years from clunky commercial work, or easy dancefloor fodder. The album's stunner is "Love TKO" – a killer mellow soul track that's not only one of Teddy's best, but which has enjoyed recent popularity due to a heavy bit of sampling by hip hoppers – but the whole thing's great, and other titles include "Take Me In Your Arms Tonight", "Let Me Love You", "Girl You Know", "Is It Still Good To Ya", "I Just Called To Say", and "Can't We Try". LP, Vinyl record album

A nice little collection of Dee Dee Sharp's early 60s sides for the Cameo label – issued here in a well-done UK package – noteworthy because it's one of the few legit reissues of Dee Dee's work over the years, issued for the UK Northern Soul market, who were always huge fans of her work! The Dee Dee heard here is quite different than that of the smoother 70s soul years – as the tracks are mostly uptempo groovers in a storming early Philly mode. The LP features 20 tracks in all – including "Mashed Potato Time", "Wild", "He's No Ordinary Guy", "Lover Boy", "Do The Bird", "Ride", "Baby Cakes", "Standing In The Need Of Love", "I Really Love Him", and "Willyam Willyam". LP, Vinyl record album

An overlooked groover from Gloria Gaynor – warm, wonderful, and filled with some great Philly touches! Sure, the record's got a Park Avenue address, but it's also got some great arrangements from Norman Harris, Jack Faith, and Ron Kersey – all of whom bring in a bit more warmth than on other Gaynor records, and wrap up her vocals in a sweetly gliding sound! This approach is heard to classic effect on the sublime "This Love Affair" – worth the price of the record alone – but it also keeps on going nicely through a set list that includes "Part Time Love", "For The First Time In My Life", "You're All I Need To Get By", "After The Lovin", and "Kidnapped". LP, Vinyl record album

Great stuff – and a key link between the early work of the Jackson 5 on Motown and Michael's later grooves with Quincy Jones! The Gamble/Huff team give the group a smooth sweet sound – definitely in a dancefloor mode, with some of the bassy riffs of Michael's Off The Wall album, but also with all the sweet catchy soul of earlier years – a really great blend that makes the album a great winner in the group's post-Motown years! The album includes the incredible smooth soul number "Show You The Way To Go", a killer cut that's very much in the Philly modern mode – and other tracks include "Style Of Life", "Enjoy Yourself", "Think Happy", "Blues Away", and "Living Together". LP, Vinyl record album