%20(Large%201400).jpg)
Amazon UK Purchase Link
---------------------------------------------------------
This Review Along With A HUGE 356 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
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)
"…I Took My Strength From You..."
This is a clever reissue – lumping together her 2nd solo album "For The First Time" on Motown (produced, arranged and written by BURT BACHARACH and HAL DAVID) with more Bacharach/David Songs that later appeared on the desirable 1982 album “Love Has Lifted Me”. Here are the ways to San Jose…
UK released August 2014 - "For The First Time/Love Has Lifted Me" by STEPHANIE MILLS on Big Break Records CDBBRX 0301 (Barcode 5013929060135) offers 2LPs Remastered onto 1CD and breaks down as follows:
1. I Took My Strength From You [Side 1]
2. Living On Plastic
3. No One Remembers My Name
4. If You Can Learn To Cry
5. Loneliness Remembers (What Happiness Forgets)
6. This Empty Place [Side 2]
7. The Way I Feel About You
8. I See You For The First Time
9. All The Way To Paradise
10. Please Let's Go
Tracks 1 to 10 are the album "For The First Time" - released October 1975 in the USA on Motown MS-227VI and March 1976 in the UK on Tamla Motown STML 12017.
11. Love Has Lifted Me Up [Side 1]
12. Love Is Everywhere
13. I Don't Want To Be Reminded
14. You Are The Melody Of My Life
15. I Hope We Don't Run Out Of Music
16. The Kingdom Within
17. Simple Masterpiece
Tracks 11 to 17 are the album "Love Has Lifted Me" - released November 1982 in the USA on Motown 6033ML.
The 12-page booklet has excellent and detailed liner notes by STEVEN E. FLEMMING, Jr that include photos of US Motown 7" singles, publicity photos of Mills (one as the lead part of Dorothy in the musical 'The Wiz') and recording info.
But the big news as always with BBR releases is the stunning remaster. KEVIN REEVES at Universal (whose been involved in huge numbers in the Soul and Jazz "Originals" series) did the initial remaster with more touches by BBR's resident tape wizard WAYNE A. DICKSON. The sound is wonderful.
This is not necessarily Soul – the 1975 album is lovey-dovey Bacharach/David songs with a Soulful Lady leading the charge. But I find a lot of it overdone with sappy lyrics that are hard to take in the 2020s. The Soul and Funk kicks in with the pricey "Love Has Lifted Me" album from 1982 – an all-together more satisfyingly Funky affair. The sound quality on the ballads "I Don't Want To Be Reminded" and "You Are The Melody Of My Life" is fantastic as is the new muscle on the desirable title track "Love Has Lifted Me".
Hardly classics it has to be said and for true Soul aficionados the Bacharach/David connection may not be an enticement but a saccharine put off. Having said that, when the Funk does let itself rip - the force is strong with this one. With two albums worth and the great new sound – for fans of either Motown outing - this UK BBR CD compilation is a must buy…
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 - 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)
