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"…We’re The Syndicate Of Soul…Gonna Take Control…"
Like many Soul and Funk fans, I’ve been noticing Big Break Records (BBR) and their steady stream of interesting reissues turn up in the racks of better record shops in the West End of London (Sister Ray, Sounds Of The Universe and Reckless).
"Candles" was the kind of early 80's album that boasted 2 or 3 great tracks and the rest was filler – like so many records of the time. But what lifts this reissue above the ordinary is the wad of bonus tracks attached – and especially the truly fabulous remastered sound. Here's the posin' details…
Released 25 November 2010 in the UK - "Candles: Expanded Edition" by HEATWAVE on Big Break Records CDBBR 0024 (Barcode 5013929032422) offers the 1980 LP with nine Bonus Tracks and breaks down as follows (79:34 minutes):
1. Gangsters Of Groove [Side 1]
2. Jitterbuggin'
3. Party Suite
4. Turn Around
5. Posin' 'Til Closin' [Side 2]
6. All I Am
7. Dreamin' You
8. Goin' Crazy
9. Where Did I Go Wrong
Tracks 1 to 9 are the album "Candles" first released in December 1980 in the USA on Epic FE 36873 (charted at number 24) and then February 1981 in the UK on GTO Records GTOLP 0047 (charted at number 29).
BONUSES:
10. Gangsters Of The Groove (Single Version) [4:02 minutes, Edit]
11. Jitterbuggin' (UK Single Version) [4:00 minutes, Edit]
12. Where Did I Go Wrong (US Single Version) [3:47 minutes, Edit]
13. Posin' 'Til Closin' (UK Single Version) [3:40 minutes, Edit]
14. Turn Around (US Single Version) [3:59 minutes, Edit]
15. Find Someone Like You - a non-album B-side to "Gangsters Of The Groove" 7" single credited on the record as "Someone Like You" [3:58 minutes]
16. Wack That Axe - a non-album B-side to the UK 12" single of "Jitterbuggin'" [3:45 minutes]
17. Gangsters Of The Groove (UK 12" Remix) [5:48 minutes – album version is 4:22 minutes]
18. Posin' 'Til Closin' (UK 12" Version) [5:10 minutes – album version is 5:00 minutes]
In one of those new rounded-corner jewel cases, the booklet has 12-pages of colour photos, album sleeves, GTO and Epic singles and informational liner notes by HAYDEN JONES. The albums credits also include the bonus tracks – it’s very well done. But the big news is the sound…
The original tapes have been digitally remastered by ALAN WILSON at Western Star Studios and he’s done a truly stunning job. Every instrument is full on – and not in a loudness-for-loudness sake kind of way – the remaster is clear, muscular & an absolute blast to listen to.
The record’s big secret was soul/funk songwriter ROD TEMPERTON – he penned 5 of the album’s 9 tracks and more famously went on to write “Rock With You”, “Off The Wall”, “Baby Be Mine”, “The Lady In My Life” and “Thriller” for Michael Jackson. Temperton had been with them in the beginning in 1977, but by this time had long since left, but was still sufficiently involved with the group to arrange and contribute much of this album.
His signature winner “Gangster Of The Groove” opens the proceedings very nicely – it’s soul/disco/funk genius – an irresistible floor-filler even to this day. The problem with the album is that it never reaches that dizzy height again. “Posin’ Til Closin’” and “Turn Around” are good funky tunes and “Dreamin’ You” features that superb bass playing of Derek Bramble, but the soppy Lynsey De Paul cover “All I Am” is hard to listen to now. The finishers “Goin’ Crazy” and “Where Did I Go Wrong” are good too, but never really great. The 12”-only B-side "Wack That Axe" however is a superb bonus track.
The liner notes dedicate the release to band-member and co-producer Johnnie Wilder, Jnr. who died in 2006 – his brother Keith fronts a form of the band to this day. It has to be said that BBR have done his memory proud.
To sum up - "Candles" by Heatwave is a 3-star album given a 5-star treatment by Big Break Records (BBR) - and if you have any affection for it, then you need this superb remaster in your life.
The quality way this CD has been presented is going to make me investigate more of their releases. And at just under seven quid from many online retailers, it's cheap too. Recommended.
BONUSES:
10. Gangsters Of The Groove (Single Version) [4:02 minutes, Edit]
11. Jitterbuggin' (UK Single Version) [4:00 minutes, Edit]
12. Where Did I Go Wrong (US Single Version) [3:47 minutes, Edit]
13. Posin' 'Til Closin' (UK Single Version) [3:40 minutes, Edit]
14. Turn Around (US Single Version) [3:59 minutes, Edit]
15. Find Someone Like You - a non-album B-side to "Gangsters Of The Groove" 7" single credited on the record as "Someone Like You" [3:58 minutes]
16. Wack That Axe - a non-album B-side to the UK 12" single of "Jitterbuggin'" [3:45 minutes]
17. Gangsters Of The Groove (UK 12" Remix) [5:48 minutes – album version is 4:22 minutes]
18. Posin' 'Til Closin' (UK 12" Version) [5:10 minutes – album version is 5:00 minutes]
In one of those new rounded-corner jewel cases, the booklet has 12-pages of colour photos, album sleeves, GTO and Epic singles and informational liner notes by HAYDEN JONES. The albums credits also include the bonus tracks – it’s very well done. But the big news is the sound…
The original tapes have been digitally remastered by ALAN WILSON at Western Star Studios and he’s done a truly stunning job. Every instrument is full on – and not in a loudness-for-loudness sake kind of way – the remaster is clear, muscular & an absolute blast to listen to.
The record’s big secret was soul/funk songwriter ROD TEMPERTON – he penned 5 of the album’s 9 tracks and more famously went on to write “Rock With You”, “Off The Wall”, “Baby Be Mine”, “The Lady In My Life” and “Thriller” for Michael Jackson. Temperton had been with them in the beginning in 1977, but by this time had long since left, but was still sufficiently involved with the group to arrange and contribute much of this album.
His signature winner “Gangster Of The Groove” opens the proceedings very nicely – it’s soul/disco/funk genius – an irresistible floor-filler even to this day. The problem with the album is that it never reaches that dizzy height again. “Posin’ Til Closin’” and “Turn Around” are good funky tunes and “Dreamin’ You” features that superb bass playing of Derek Bramble, but the soppy Lynsey De Paul cover “All I Am” is hard to listen to now. The finishers “Goin’ Crazy” and “Where Did I Go Wrong” are good too, but never really great. The 12”-only B-side "Wack That Axe" however is a superb bonus track.
The liner notes dedicate the release to band-member and co-producer Johnnie Wilder, Jnr. who died in 2006 – his brother Keith fronts a form of the band to this day. It has to be said that BBR have done his memory proud.
To sum up - "Candles" by Heatwave is a 3-star album given a 5-star treatment by Big Break Records (BBR) - and if you have any affection for it, then you need this superb remaster in your life.
The quality way this CD has been presented is going to make me investigate more of their releases. And at just under seven quid from many online retailers, it's cheap too. Recommended.
PS: Big Break Records (BBR) CD Remasters
I've reviewed to October 2015
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. I Hope We Get To Love On Time - MARILYN McCOO & BILLY DAVIS (1976)
11. I Miss You - HAROLD MELVIN & THE BLUE NOTES (1972) [known as "Harold Melvin The Blue Notes" in the UK]
12. Black & Blue - HAROLD MELVIN & THE BLUE NOTES (1973)
13. Love Is The Message - MFSB (1973)
14. Universal Love – MFSB (1975)
15. All The Faces Of... - BUDDY MILES (1974)
16. For The First Time – STEPHANIE MILLS (1975)
17. I Can See Clearly Now - JOHNNY NASH (1972)
18. In Philadelphia - O'JAYS (1969)
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. Summernights – SILVER CONVENTION (1977)
29. Smoked Sugar - SMOKED SUGAR (1975)
30. Soul Master – EDWIN STARR (1968)
31. Involved - EDWIN STARR (1971)
32. Switch - SWITCH (1978)
33 Watercolors – THE WATERS (1980)
34. Just As I Am - BILL WITHERS (1971 Debut LP on Sussex/A&M Records)
35. Heartbeats – YARBROUGH & PEOPLES (1983)
