"Loveshine [1978]/Candy [1979]" by CON FUNK SHUN (February 2010 Cherry Red/Robinsongs Reissue - 2LPs Remastered Onto 1CD) - A Review by Mark Barry...

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"...Shake And Dance..."

Two primo CON FUNK SHUN vinyl albums from the band’s late seventies Soul-Funk stride lumped together onto one remastered CD (fro the first time) – the 2^nd release in Robinsongs complete catalogue reissue series for a band that rivalled Earth Wind & Fire in terms of chart success and affection. Here are the Shake and Dance details...

UK released February 2010 – "Loveshine/Candy" by CON FUNK SHUN Cherry Red/Robinsongs CDMRED 428 (Barcode 5013929142824) offers 2 LPs from 1978 and 1979 Remastered onto 1CD and pans out as follows (66:23 minutes):

1. So Easy [Side 1]

2. Magic Woman

3. Shake & Dance With Me

4. Make It Last

5. Loveshine

6. When The Feeling’s Right [Side 2]

7. I Think I Found The Answer

8. Wanna Be There

9. Can’t Go Away

Tracks 1 to 9 are their 3^rd vinyl album “Loveshine” – released June 1978 in the USA on Mercury SRM-1-3725 and in the UK on Mercury 9100 055. The album rose to Number 10 on the USA R&B Album Charts.

10. Fire When Ready [Side 2]

11. Chase Me

12. Not Ready

13. Da Lady

14. Candy [Side 2]

15. (Let me Put) Love On Your Mind

16. Main Slice

17. Images

Tracks 10 to 17 are their 4th vinyl album “Candy” – released May 1979 in the USA on Mercury SRM-1-3754 (No UK release). The album rose to Number 7 on the USA R&B Album Charts.

The 8-page inlay pictures rare 7” singles on Mercury, album artwork and has a basic history of the band and the albums by RALPH TEE. Although it doesn’t say outright – it sounds to me that long-standing remaster Engineer ALAN WILSON has done the transfers (as he did with other issues) – and because the albums were superbly produced in the first place – that has passed over to the remasters.

The emphasis is on Soul Funk ala Gap Band, Kool & The Gang, Heatwave and Earth, Wind & Fire with smoochy ballads inbetween all that booty shuffling. Thankfully they didn’t compromise to Disco – so boogie tunes like “So Easy” and “Chase Me” still have that glorious late Seventies Soul/Funk feel (like The Jacksons on a good day). There’s huge punch on tunes like “Shake And Dance With Me” which must have filled so many dancefloors back in the day (the effortlessly cool title track “Loveshine” exudes that same great uptempo vibe). Even when they go a bit Isley-Brothers guitar on the smoocher ballad “(Let Me Put) Love On Your Mind” – they pull it off with style.

Packing great value for money (mid-price, 2 albums on 1CD) - fans should dive in – especially given the really great upgraded sound...