"Summernights" by SILVER CONVENTION - May 1977 US Second LP on Jupiter Records (June 2015 UK Big Break Records (BBR) 'Expanded Edition' CD Reissue and Remaster with Two Bonus Tracks) - A Review by Mark Barry

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Formed in Germany in 1974 just before the Disco explosion took Europe, the USA and the World by storm in 1976 and 1977 – the three ladies of SILVER CONVENTION were essentially a front vocal group for the songwriting of Sylvester Levay and Michael Kunze – sort of Europe's answer to Bernard Edwards and Nile Rodgers. 

Led by New Yorker vocalist Rhonda Heath (Penny McLean and Roman Wulf were the other two) – the musical mix of American Bass-Driven Funk with Euro Strings taking centre-stage over the backbeat gave Silver Convention their hugely commercial radio-friendly sound. The "Summernights" album (called "Golden Girls" in the USA and Australia) was originally released May 1977 on Jupiter Records 280966-OT.

UK released June 2015  - "Summernights" by SILVER CONVENTION on Big Break Records CDBBR 0284 (Barcode 5013929058439) is an Expanded Edition new remaster by NICK ROBBINS that plays out as follows (50:54 minutes): 

1. Summernights [Side 1]

2. Wolfchild

3. Hotshot

4. Voodoo Woman 

5. Telegram [Side 2]

6. Ain't It Like A Hollywood Movie

7. Save Me

8. Blame It On The Music

9. Disco Ball

BONUS TRACKS:

10. Telegram (Single Version) – edits the album track down from 5:33 to 3:00 minutes

11. Ain't It Like A Hollywood Movie (12" Disco Version) - extends the LP cut from 5:08 to 7:41 minutes

The Audio is fab, punchy and full of presence. You get the usual classy-looking 12-page booklet from BBR – this time with photos of the ladies in their Disco refinery, rare European 7" single picture sleeves and very detailed and informed liner notes by THOMAS DEL POZO – a writer and researcher based in Toronto (who thanks Rhonda Heath for her recollections).  

The full album cut of "Hotshot" (issued as an edited 7" single) boogies along for six minutes and is just the kind of groovy Funk-with-Strings High Energy number those disc-spinning jocks love. You wouldn't quite say it was CHIC – more a Three Degrees by way of Philly variant. In fact stuff like "Wolfchild" would have been on an MFSB album just without the vocals. "Telegram" is very cheesy Abba Eurovision fodder (the song represented Germany in 1977 and finished in 8th place) – better is the Disco vibe to "Ain't It Like A Hollywood Movie". 

"Summernights" is not all brilliant by any stretch of the imagination - but fans of High Energy and Euro Disco with Strings will love the quality Audio and decent presentation...

PS: Big Break Records (BBR) CD Remasters I've reviewed:

1. Is It Still Good To Ya – ASHFORD and SIMPSON (1978)

2. Stay Free – ASHFORD and SIMPSON (1979)

3. Central Heating – HEATWAVE (1977)

4. Hot Property - HEATWAVE (1979)

5. Candles - HEATWAVE (1980)

6. Turnin' On - HIGH INERGY (1977)

7. Harvest For The World - THE ISLEY BROTHERS (1976)

8. Go For Your Guns - THE ISLEY BROTHERS (1977)

9. In The Heart – KOOL & THE GANG (1983)

10. Let Me Be Your Angel – STACY LATTISAW (1980)

11. I Hope We Get To Love On Time - MARILYN McCOO & BILLY DAVIS (1976)

12.  I Miss You - HAROLD MELVIN & THE BLUE NOTES (1972) [known as "Harold Melvin The Blue Notes" in the UK]

13. Black & Blue - HAROLD MELVIN & THE BLUE NOTES (1973)

14. Love Is The Message - MFSB (1973)

15. Universal Love – MFSB (1975)

16. All The Faces Of... - BUDDY MILES (1974)

17. For The First Time – STEPHANIE MILLS (1975)

18. I Can See Clearly Now - JOHNNY NASH (1972)

19. Back Stabbers - O'JAYS (1972)

20. Ship Ahoy - O'JAYS (1973)

21. Down To Love Town – THE ORIGINALS (1977)

22. Ebony Woman - BILLY PAUL (1970 and 1973)

23. 360 Degrees Of Billy Paul - BILLY PAUL (1972)

24. War Of The Gods - BILLY PAUL (1973)

25. Platinum Hook – PLATINUM HOOK (1978)

26. Love For What It Is - ANITA POINTER (of The Pointer Sisters) (1987)

27. Live: Stompin' At The Savoy – RUFUS and CHAKA KHAN (1983)

28. Madhouse – SILVER CONVENTION (1976)

29. Summernights – SILVER CONVENTION (1977)

30. Smoked Sugar - SMOKED SUGAR (1975)

31. Spinners – SPINNERS (1973)

32. Soul Master – EDWIN STARR (1968)

33. Involved - EDWIN STARR (1971)

34. Switch - SWITCH (1978)

35. Watercolors – THE WATERS (1980)

36. Just As I Am - BILL WITHERS (1971 Debut LP on Sussex/A&M Records)

37. Heartbeats – YARBROUGH & PEOPLES (1983)