Sounds Good, Looks Good...

Welcome to Mark Barry's Review Blog - SOUNDS GOOD, LOOKS GOOD... It features in-depth reviews for Quality CD Reissues and Remasters - all with Discography Info (six times Amazon 'Hall of Fame' Reviewer). With over 2,750 posts - genres covered include Rock, Pop, Soul, Funk, Jazz Fusion, Blues, Rhythm 'n' Blues, Doo Wop, Vocal Groups, 1960s and 1970s, Prog, Psych, Folk, Blues-Rock, Goth, Punk, New Wave, 1980s, Reggae and more. I also review FILMS, TV Shows, BLU RAYS and BOOKS. Over 3.2m views...

Showing posts with label CHARLES WARING (Liner Notes). Show all posts

Saturday, 9 May 2026

"Imagination/I Feel A Song/2nd Anniversary/The One And Only…" by GLADYS KNIGHT & THE PIPS – October 1973, November 1974, October 1975 and August 1978 US LPs on Buddah Records (November 2025 UK Beat Goes On (BGO) Compilation – 4LPs Digitally Remastered onto 2CDs – Andrew Thompson Remasters) - A Review by Mark Barry...

This Review Along With 349 Others Is Available In My

SOUNDS GOOD E-Book on all Amazon sites

HIGHER GROUND
70ts Soul, R'n'B, Funk, Jazz Fusion
Exceptional CD Reissues and Remasters

Just Click Below To Purchase for £4.95 (2026 Update)

Thousands of E-Pages - All Details and In-Depth Reviews From Discs

(No Cut and Paste Crap)

RATINGS:

Overall: *** to ****

Presentation: *****

Audio: *****

https://amzn.to/4u1RxON

"…I'm Leaving On A Midnight Train To Georgia…"

Sales-wise, Soft Soul in the Seventies did well. But who remembers even half of it? Dopes like me maybe!?

It is amazing to think in 2026 that few people would even know US Soul giants Gladys Knight & The Pips – or that they clocked up no less than six number one albums on the US R&B LP charts. Not two – not four – but six. And this is back in a day when real sales numbers were needed to achieve anything above Top Ten.

Two of the four platters on offer here hit that top stop - "Imagination" in late 1973 (armed with the huge Jim Weatherly-penned Countryfied crossover hit "Midnight Train To Georgia") and "I Feel A Song" in the winter of 1974 - also armed with another 45 numero uno - "I Feel A Song (In My Heart)". The talking tale of down-south goings-on Georgia also hit No.1 on the Pop charts. Their first LP for Buddah Records stayed on chart for over a year (53 weeks). The other two studio albums had to settle for a mere No.4 and No.30 chart placing in 1975 and 1978 (GK & The Pips were made Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees in 1996 – 30 years back).

And yet - when I worked the second-hand counters at Reckless Records in Islington and Soho for over twenty years – Soft Soul Seventies groups like The Manhattans or The Detroit Spinners or The Stylistics and Gladys Knight on either Motown or Buddah were notorious sales no-no's for us. Records like these were strictly pound fodder and one quick glance at Discogs LP offerings and you will see that not a lot has changed some fifty-plus years later.

But – that is not to say that there's no class nor gems here – there is and a few cool surprises too - quality folks like Carole King, Bill Withers, Burt Bacharach, Eugene McDaniels and Van McCoy as guests. And that's where this fab-sounding stacked twofer CD compilation comes in (4LPs Remastered onto 2CDs) – part of BGO's exploration of Philly Soul, Funk and Jazz Funk (see list of 9 below). To the details…

UK released Friday, 27 February 2026 - "Imagination/I Feel A Song/2nd Anniversary/The One And Only…" by GLADYS KNIGHT & THE PIPS on Beat Goes On BGOCD1567 (Barcode 5017261215673) is a 37-Track Compilation that offers Four Seventies Albums Remastered across 2CDs and plays out as follows:

CD1 (76:44 minutes, 19 Tracks):

1. Midnight Train To Georgia [Side 1]

2. I've Got To Use My Imagination

3. Storms Of Troubled Times

4. Best Thing That Ever Happened To Me

5. Once In A Lifetime Thing

6. Where Peaceful Waters Flow [Side 2]

7. I Can See Clearly Now

8. Perfect Love

9. Window Raisin' Granny

Tracks 1 to 9 are their studio album "Imagination" – released October 1973 in the USA on Buddah BDS 5141 and August 1974 in the UK on Buddah 2318 013. Produced by RICHIE WISE, TONY CAMILLO and KENNY KERNER – it peaked at No.1 on the US Billboard R&B LP charts in late 1973 (no chart UK)

10. I Feel A Song (In My Heart) [Side 1]

11. Love Finds Its Own Way

12. Seconds

13. The Goings Up And The Coming Down

14. The Way We Were/Try To Remember

15. Better You Go Your Way [Side 2]

16. Don't Burn Down The Bridge

17. The Need To Be

18. Tenderness Is His Way

Tracks 10 to 18 are their studio album "I Feel A Song" – released November 1974 in the USA on Buddah BDS 5612 and May 1975 in the UK on Buddah BDLP 4030. Produced by RICHIE WISE, TONY CAMILLO, BILL WITHERS, BURT BACHARACH, GLADYS KNIGHT and more – it peaked at No.1 on the US Billboard R&B LP charts in late 1974 and No.20 in the UK LP charts.

19. Money [Track 1 on Side 1]

Track 19 is the first song on Side 1 of the album "2nd Anniversary" (see CD2 Tracks 1 to 8 for details)

CD2 (79:12 minutes, 18 Tracks):

1. Street Brother [Track 2 on Side 1]

2. Part Time Love

3. At The End There's A Beginning

4. Georgia On My Mind

5. You And Me Against The World [Side 2]

6. Where Do I Put His Memory

7. Summer Sun

8. Feel Like Makin' Love

Tracks 19 on CD1 and Tracks 1 to 8 on CD2 are their studio album "2nd Anniversary" – released October 1975 in the USA on Buddah BDS 5639 and October 1975 in the UK on Buddah BDLP 4038. Produced by EUGENE McDANIELS, KENNY KERNER and RICHIE WISE – it peaked at No.4 on the US Billboard R&B LP charts (no chart UK).

9. Sorry Doesn't Always Make It Right [Side 1]

10. Come Back And Finish What You Started

11. All The Time

12. It's A Better Than Good Time

13. Butterfly

14. The One And Only [Side 2]

15. Saved By The Grace Of Your Love

16. Don't Say No To Me Tonight

17. Be Yourself

18. What If I Should Ever Need You

Tracks 9 to 18 are their studio-album "The One And Only…" – released August 1978 in the USA on Buddah BDS 5701 and May 1978 in the UK on Buddah Records BDLP 4051 (their eighth and final album for Buddah Records). Produced by RICHIE WISE, TONY CAMILLO, VAN McCOY, MICHAEL MASSER and more – it peaked at No.30 in the US Billboard R&B LP charts (didn't chart UK). Note: the British LP reversed sides – Tracks 14 to 18 are Side, Tracks 9 to 13 are Side 2

The audio you get is TOP NOTCH – Remasters by long-time Sound Engineer for Beat Goes On/BGO – ANDREW THOMPSON. The 24-page booklet inside the card slipcase features all original artwork and a new info-jam-packed history/appraisal of the Motown escapees by admired Jazz & Soul writer CHARLES WARING. Waring smartly lets the lady do the talking in-between the multitude of factoids – quoting extensively from an Autobiography and online accounts (referenced). Gladys states in a 1997 interview that leaving Tamla and Berry Gordy (despite assurances from many that it was a commercially suicidal move) turned out to be the making of her and her gang of four. And on the evidence of the lurve on display here that touched a chord with Soul and R&B lovers around the globe, she was right. To the music…

Whether their albums are worth anything now, back in the mid-Seventies day, England has a thing about Gladys Knight & The Pips on Buddah Records (even when their releases were up to a year after their American counterparts). They landed a lot of seven-inch 45-singles on the UK Pop charts (and past 1977 too). Here are just seven - up first (as far as this set is concerned) is a cover of the Barbra Streisand film tearjerker "The Way We Were – Try To Remember" – it went to No.4 in April 1975 (Buddah BDS 428). The upbeat "Best Thing That Ever Happened To Me" hit a very groovy No.7 in August 1975 (Buddah BDS 432) - but "Part Time Love" stalled at No.30 (Buddah BDS 438). Seems odd now too that such a huge Stateside smash as "Midnight Train To Georgia" (Number 1 on both the R&B and Pop charts) should only make No.10 in Blighty (May 1976 on Buddah BDS 444). Apparently, the Jim Weatherly song originally referenced the city of Houston and a plane instead of railways. Gladys liked neither and after a call to him, he kindly changed the lyrics to suit city and mode of transport - and a classic was born.

"The One And Only…" album arrived in English shops in May 1978 – three months before its US release. To pre-empt that - Buddah put out the title track one month before and were rewarded with an April 1978 No.32 on Buddah BDS 470. Two more from the record followed - "Come Back And Finish What You Started" in June 1978 on Buddah BDS 473 that broke the top twenty, finally landing at No.15, while "It's A Better Than Good Time" would become her last UK chart entry of that decade – Buddah BDS 478 managing only 59 in September 1978.

The "I Feel A Song" LP has a barmaid array of sexy names attached to it – big in my books is Bill Withers writing and producing two exclusives - "Better You Go Your Way" and "Tenderness Is His Way". They are as sweet as you would expect from the Lovely Day balladeer. The mighty Sundance smoocher himself Burt Bacharach provides an unreleased tune he wrote with screenplay genius Neil Simon (dropped from a solo project) in the shape of "Seasons" – very tasty. Both Bubba Knight and William Guest (two of The Pips) get to shine too vocally and are co-producers on an array of tunes. The "2nd Anniversary" album (named after two years with believers Buddah) features a stellar guest list - musicians include George Duke on Synths, Hugh McCracken, Richard Resnicoff and Rusty Young (Pedal Steel on Track 6) on Guitars, Kenny Asher on Keyboards with Ralph MacDonald and Steve Gadd on Percussion and Drums.

Country songwriter Jim Weatherly provides the lion-share of songs for their 1973 US Buddah Records debut "Imagination" (after a breakaway from an unappreciative Motown). Gladys is quoted extensively from her autobiography regarding Motown in the liner notes and their unseemly Supreme habit of not pushing her or her band. In fact, Bubblegum Pop and Novelty tunes Buddah Records was not seen as anyone's first choice – Rock or otherwise - so the Art Kass and Artie Ripp's-formed indie label Buddah signing a known class act like Gladys Knight was a big deal (they came out of Kama Sutra Records in the late Sixties). And Knight enthuses - Buddah treated her right – allowing artistic freedom. The hits soon started piling up and from what Gladys states – the warmth was reciprocal (Cars, Tours financed, TV spots arranged, constant profiling in the industry). Their "Imagination" LP turned up in Blighty almost a whole year later and with the "Midnight Train To Georgia" song leading the charge as its opener on Side 1 - made an impact in England too.

Her cover of the Johnny Nash classic "I Can See Clearly Now" is excellent as is the Barry Goldberg/Gerry Goffin exclusive contribution "I've Got To Use My Imagination". It was meant for Carole King apparently - but got to Gladys instead – and (no pun intended) the song had legs and turned up in 1994 as a very popular choice on the Forrest Gump soundtrack. Soul and Disco guru Van McCoy turns up on "The One And Only…" album in production credits, but he also arranged and contributed the song "Be Yourself" and co-wrote the popular hit "Come Back And Finish What You Started". GK was indeed "Saved By The Grace Of Your Love".

This kind of smooth sultry Seventies Soul might be out-of-fashion a tad – but her voice, the great backing, the tunes and upbeat messaging – all still hold sway with so many lovers. Like The Manhattans twofer in this Series, I enjoyed this Gladys Knight & The Pips 4LPs-onto-2CDs compilation way more than I had anticipated and for fans there is the dense annotation and great audio to look forward to.

Another winner amongst nine listed below for England's BGO...

Soul/Funk/Disco/Fusion and Jazz Titles in the

Beat Goes On (BGO) Records 'Four Albums On Two Discs' Series

UK issued 2CD Compilations in a Card Slipcase with Remasters

1. GLADYS KNIGHT & THE PIPS - "Imagination/I Feel A Song/2nd Anniversary/The One And Only…"

Four US Albums originally issued on Buddah Records in 1973, 1974, 1975 and 1978

UK released 27 February 2026 on Beat Goes On BGOCD1567 (Barcode 5017261215673)

2. RAMSEY LEWIS - "Funky Serenity/Ramsey Lewis’ Newly Recorded, Al-Time, Non-Stop Golden Hits/Solar Wind/Sun Goddess"

Four US Albums originally issued 1973 (two) and 1974 (two) on Columbia Records

UK released 18 May 2018 on Beat Goes On BGOCD1335 (Barcode 5017261213358)

3. RAMSEY LEWIS - "Legacy/Ramsey/Live At The Savoy/Chance Encounter"

Four US Albums originally issued 1978, 1979 and two in 1982 on Columbia Records

UK released 30 March 2018 on Beat Goes On BGOCD1330 (Barcode 5017261213303)

4. THE MANHATTANS - "There's No Me Without You/That's How Much I Love You/The Manhattans/It Feels So Good"

Four US Albums originally issued on Columbia Records in 1973, 1974, 1976 and 1977

UK released 21 November 2025, Beat Goes On BGOCD1557 (Barcode 5017261215574)

5. BUDDY MILES EXPRESS/BUDDY MILES

"Expressway To Your Skull/Electric Church/Them Changes/We Got To Live Together"

Four US Albums originally issued 1968, 1969 and Two in 1970 on Mercury Records

UK released 7 January 2022 (delayed from November 2021), Beat Goes On BGOCD1468 (Barcode 5017261214683)

6. THE O'JAYS - "Back Stabbers/Ship Ahoy/Survival/Family Reunion"

Four US Albums originally issued on Philadelphia International Records in 1972, 1973 and 1975

UK released 21 November 2025, Beat Goes On BGOCD1563 (Barcode 5017261215635)

7. BILLY PAUL – "Ebony Woman/Going East/360 Degrees Of Billy Paul/War Of The Gods"

Four US Albums originally issued on Neptune and Philadelphia International Records in 1970, 1971, 1972 and 1973

UK released 7 November 2025, Beat Goes On BGOCD1561 (Barcode 5017261215611)

8. LOU RAWLS - "All Things In Time/Unmistakably Lou/When You Hear Lou, You've Heard It All/Let Me Be Good To You"

Four US Albums originally issued on Philadelphia International Records in 1976, Two in 1977 and One in 1979

UK released 3 October 2025, Beat Goes on BGOCD1560 (Barcode 5017261215604)

9. DEXTER WANSEL - "Life On Mars/What The World Is Coming To/Voyager/Time Is Slipping Away"

Four US Albums originally issued on Philadelphia International Records in 1976, 1977, 1978 and 1979

UK released 10 March 2023, BGOCD1490 (Barcode 5017261214904)

Sounds Good, Looks Good...

I was the Rarities and Vinyl buyer/valuer for RECKLESS RECORDS London for nearly 20 years. I have 35 e-Books on Music, Film and Poetry available to buy/loan on Amazon and won the Hall Of Fame Reviewer badge for Six Years. I also run my "SOUNDS GOOD, LOOKS GOOD" Blog Site that has over 2,750 indexed posts (over 2.7 million views) on a large array of subjects including many Discographies for Artists and Record Labels.For my Author Page on Amazon visithttp://www.amazon.co.uk/-/e/B00LQKMC6I.

Friday, 8 May 2026

"There's No Me Without You/That's How Much I Love You/The Manhattans/It Feels So Good" by THE MANHATTANS – July 1973, October 1974, May 1976 and February 1977 US LPs on Columbia Records (November 2025 UK Beat Goes On (BGO) Compilation – 4LPs Digitally Remastered onto 2CDs – Andrew Thompson Remasters) - A Review by Mark Barry...

This Review Along With 350+ Others Is Available In My

SOUNDS GOOD E-Book on all Amazon sites

HIGHER GROUND
70ts Soul, R'n'B, Funk, Jazz Fusion
Exceptional CD Reissues and Remasters

Just Click Below To Purchase for £4.95 (2026 Update)

Thousands of E-Pages - All Details and In-Depth Reviews From Discs

(No Cut and Paste Crap)

RATINGS

Overall: *** to ****

Presentation: *****

Audio: ******

https://amzn.to/4to6sS4

"…Kiss And Say Goodbye…"

When I worked the secondhand counters at Reckless Records in Islington and Soho for over twenty years – Manhattans albums were largely a sales no-no.

It isn't that they weren't successful across the pond. Originally issued Stateside on Columbia Records in July 1973, October 1974, May 1976 and February 1977 –

the Jersey Soft Soul crooners produced by genre pioneer Bobby Martin charted all four of these albums - No.19, No.59, No.6 and No.12 – which on the US R&B Billboard album charts of those years was mightily impressive.

But The Manhattans (unlike say The Drifters or The O'Jays or Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes or Lou Rawls) meant so little in the UK that the first two albums were Euro Pressings only on original CBS Records Vinyl (usually Dutch copies). Even when "The Manhattans" LP containing an R&B and Pop US No.1 smash in the tune "Kiss And Say Goodbye" – the UK pressing on CBS Records barely shifted and the pressing of February 1977's "It Feels So Good" LP was not a whole lot better.

The Manhattans occupied that Blue Magic, Stylistics, Gladys Knight & The Pips, Natalie Cole, Manhattan Transfer, Spinners hinterland of Soul and Disco albums that were OK but never anything better as far as UK Soul aficionados were concerned. Funk and Jazz Funk had kicked most of these out of the water – especially as the decade progressed. Mostly – none of this mid-Seventies Soft Soul LPs sold for us and sat around in racks for years being marked down to a pound or maybe two – unloved and unwanted.

But time is a healer and a changer – and here with a 50-plus-years distance in 2025 and 2026 - and a more forgiving ear – their quiet smooching class is coming through again. This generous twofer from England's Beat Goes On Records is part of their BGO 'Four Albums On Two Discs' Series (see list below). And let's make no audio bones about it – BGOCD1557 sounds awesome and offers a lot of bang for your run-around buck. So, once more my skylarks and robins of perpetual heart-pattering to the brothers and sisters falling apart at the seams in the wonderful world of lurve (there is no me without you, baby)…

UK released Friday, 21 November 2025 (28 November 2026 in the USA) - "There's No Me Without You/That's How Much I Love You/The Manhattans/It Feels So Good" by THE MANHATTANS on Beat Goes On BGOCD1557 (Barcode 5017261215574) is a 40-Track Compilation that offers Four Seventies Albums Remastered across 2CDs and plays out as follows:

CD1 (70:32 minutes, 20 Tracks):

1. There's No Me Without You [Side 1]

2. We Made It

3. Wish That You Were Mine

4. I'm Not A Run Around

5. Soul Train

6. You'd Better Believe It [Side 2]

7. It's So Hard Loving You

8. The Day The Robin Sang To Me

9. Falling Apart At The Seams

10. The Other Side Of Me

Tracks 1 to 10 are their fifth album "There's No Me Without You" – released July 1973 in the USA on Columbia KC 32444 and 1973 in Holland on CBS Records S 65849. Produced by BOBBY MARTIN – it peaked at No.19 on the US Billboard R&B LP charts (no UK issue nor chart). Guitars by Norman Harris, Bobby Eli and Roland Chambers (of The Chambers Brothers), Organ by Lenny Pecula, Vibes by Vince Montana with Bass and Drums by Ronnie Baker and Earl Young respectively.

11. Summertime In The City [Side 1]

12. Don't Take Your Love

13. Save Our Goodbyes

14. I Don't Want To Pay The Price Of Losing You

15. That's How Much I Love You

16. Blackbird [Side 2]

17. A Change Is Gonna Come

18. Strange Old World

19. Fever

20. Nursery Rhymes

Tracks 11 to 20 are their sixth studio album "That's How Much I Love You" – released October 1974 in the USA on Columbia KC 33064 (no UK release) and in Holland on CBS Records CBS 80444. Produced by BOBBY MARTIN – it peaked at No.59 on the US Billboard R&B LP charts (No UK issue).

CD2 (78:17 minutes, 20 Tracks):

1. Searching For Love [Side 1]

2. We'll Have Forever To Love

3. Take It Or Leave It

4. Reasons

5. How Can Anything So Good Be So Bad For You?

6. Hurt [Side 2]

7. Wonderful World Of Love

8. If You're Ever Gonna Love Me

9. La-La-La Wish Upon A Star

10. Kiss And Say Goodbye

Tracks 1 to 10 are their seventh studio album "The Manhattans" – released May 1976 in the USA on Columbia PC 33820 and July 1976 in the UK on CBS Records S 81513. Produced by BOBBY MARTIN and BERT DeCOTEAUX – it peaked at No.6 in the US Billboard R&B LP charts (no chart UK).

11. I Kinda Miss You [Side 1]

12. Up On The Street (Where I Live)

13. Let's Start It All Over Again

14. It's You

15. I'll See You Tomorrow

16. It Feels So Good To Be Loved So Bad [Side 2]

17. It Just Can't Stay This Way

18. We Never Danced To A Love Song

19. Mind Your Business

20. Too Much For Me To Bear

Tracks 11 to 20 are their eight studio-album "It Feels So Good" –released February 1977 in the USA on Columbia PC 34450 and February 1977 in the UK on CBS Records S CBS 81828. Produced by BOBBY MARTIN – it peaked at No.12 in the US Billboard R&B LP charts (didn't chart UK).

In 1973, NYC Harmony-Soul Group The Manhattans had already been nine years working the Chitlin Circuit and issued four albums prior – starting in 1966 and 1968 on Carnival Records and then on to DeLuxe Records for 1970 and 1972. Their signing to the major label Columbia in 1973 was a huge step forward and meant they would spend much of the Seventies clocking up respectable chart positions – which is where this four-parter comes canoodling in.

Complete with nicknames, the original five singers for their Columbia Records debut were – Richard "Ricky" Taylor, Kenneth "Wally" Kelly, Gerald "Smut" Alston, Edward "Sunny Dip" Bivins and Winfred "Blue" Lovett. Ex-US Army conscripts since their European duties in the late Fifties, The Manhattans began harmonizing and suddenly found sympatico in 1962. Tenor Edward Bivins and Bass Vocalist Winfred Lovett provided a lot of the songs (additions in the later years would come from famous song-suppliers like Teddy Randazzo). Sessionmen Ronnie Baker and Earl Young (Bass and Drums) who played on the Columbia Records debut would slay the world in 1977 and 1978 being in The Trammps.

Soft Soul Ballads and smoocher romance was Manhattans stock-in-trade and given that these albums were recorded at Columbia Studios in New York under the supervision of their musical guide Bobby Martin (Manhattans Productions Inc.,) – the audio you get is TOP NOTCH – Remasters by long-time Sound Engineer for BGO – ANDREW THOMPSON. The 20-page booklet inside the card slipcase features all original artwork and a new info-jam-packed history/appraisal of the choreographed dapper-gents by admired Jazz & Soul writer CHARLES WARING. The smiling five were reduced to four by the time we reach LP number four on this set in early 1977. To the music…

Columbia wisely issued the album title-track "There's No Me Without You" b/w "I'm Not A Run Around" as an opening Salvo 45-single in April 1973 only to see Columbia 4-45838 almost hit the peak but eventually stall at a respectable No.3. But the excellent Ballad A/Funky B follow-up of "You'd Better Believe It" b/w "Soul Train" in August 1973 on Columbia 4-45927 stalled at No.19. I would argue that it is a better pairing than the debut 45 and should have done better. Their old label DeLuxe Records were quick to notice that The Manhattans were back with that No.3 placing and therefore released a flurry of three 45s between May and July 1973 (older material). It worked - the July 1973 US 45-sngle for "Do You Ever" reached No.40 on DeLuxe 45-152.

The production values are amazing – the talking intro to "There's No Me Without You" is clear as day (written by Bivins) – pinging Vibes from Vince Mantana keeping time with the swooping oohs and aahs. Channelling their inner Barry White, "We Made It" features a long talk-in that will either tickle your love bones or make you laugh out loud. Same with the luxurious shimmer in "Wish That You Were Mine" – another Lovett ballad winner. Songwriter Tony Randazzo had famously penned the Little Anthony & The Imperials 60ts classic "Goin' Out Of My Head" – gifts them "I'm Not A Run Around". Good tune. Bearing an uncomfortably closeness in melody and hooks to "Clean Up Woman" by Betty Wright (her huge 1971 hit on Alston Records) – the funky finger-clicking "It's So Hard Loving You" is nonetheless one of my fave grooves on a good album. The album "There's No Me Without You" shuffles to a classy close with two pleaders – our hero wondering if the band on her finger means anything in "Falling Apart At The Seams" while "The Other Side Of Me" goes straight for the pain-and-agony jugular – our man all let down since she left him staring in the mirror.

The Manhattans started their second Columbia album with serious rather than emo-flippant. They enter the world of social conscience – little bitty babies too exposed to the heat in their Conscious-Funky Temptations soundalike "Summertime In The City" – Blue Lovett putting in a fantastic Marvin Gaye-like vocal. Columbia issued it as the LP’s first 45 in August 1974 with "The Other Side Of Me" from their label debut LP as the flipside. Strange then that while it made No.45 on the US R&B singles chart, the follow-up mid-tempo stepper "Don't Take Your Love From Me" which was not nearly as good was the hit – up to No.7 Maybe it was the long spoken-pleading from Blue Lovett that moved the ladies. Randazzo once again has a hand in the radio-friendly bop of "I Don't Want To Pay The Price Of Loving You" – a tables-turned tale of wanting his lass to stay. Philly man Bunny Sigler is one of the writers on the decidedly Disco-Soul "That's How Much I Love You" – our lads literally promising the sun, moon and stars. Covers come with Isaac Hayes and his "Blackbird" – a very cool Funky Disco song that bristles with angry social commentary.

I like my Sam Cooke reverential - so as worthy as the cover of his masterpiece "A Change Is Gonna Come" is – The Manhattans version feels like filler. And their wishy-washy cover of the Little Willie John shuffler "Fever" is not a whole lot better. At least the "That's How Much I Love You" album tries to end on a Funky upper – wah-wah guitar giving it party y’all with "Nursery Rhymes". But the ludicrous Jack and Jill/Humpty Dumpty lyrics ruin any chance it has of scoring with your heart. In fact, as you get to the end of the second LP, you feel The Manhattans have lost their way and the momentum the Columbia debut gave them is gone. Perhaps chastened by its chart fall from grace after only two weeks, they made no such mistake with their defiantly self-titled next LP two years later - "The Manhattans".

Ending Side 2, the monster obligations talker hit that was "Kiss And Say Goodbye" dominated "The Manhattans" LP. It reached No.1 on both R&B and Pop singles charts – a rare thing for a Soul act to hit both jackpots. Hardly surprising then to find that the overload of ballads formula remains in place - "We'll Have Forever To Love" and the lovely smooch of "Take It Or Leave It" going straight for the bedroom set. Craving her body and in the wrong place – our duo vocalists plead mercy in "Reasons" – a Charles Stepney, Bill Bailey and Maurice White Earth, Wind & Fire cover version. Back to Barry White deep-voiced intros for "Hurt"- the kind of you-said-your-love-was-true schlock that gets to you somehow. Pretty is how you would describe "Wonderful World Of Love" – a pleader ballad that echoes both Sam Cooke and Teddy Pendergrass – and in a good way.

One of the loveliest songs on the LP is "If You're Ever Gonna Love Me" – a typically warm rendition of a ballad – so Manhattans. And then there is the Country-Soul Philly-swaying Lurve-making Bottom of A Bottle Loserville that is "Kiss And Say Goodbye" – and you can so hear why it struck with everyone – they got it right on all fronts (the talking intro does not overstay its cheesy welcome) – especially on that truly Soulful vocal. And the last album is (oddly enough) probably the best of the lot even if the deep-voiced talking start style was wildly out of place in 1977 - naff even - but ballads like "It's You" and "Let's Start It All Over Again" proved once again that their skill at schmoozing their audience had lost none of its potency.

The Manhattans and their Ballad-Soul tunes and style will not be for everyone, but I enjoyed this twofer way more than I had anticipated - and for fans - there is the dense annotation and great audio to look forward to. Another winner amongst nine listed below for England's BGO...