"Is It Still Good To Ya" by ASHFORD & SIMPSON (2015 Big Break Records (BBR) 'Expanded Edition' CD Remaster with Seven Bonus Tracks) - A Review by Mark Barry...

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"...The Debt Is Settled..." 

Like many Soul and Funk fans I’ve been waiting for Big Break Records of the UK to have a proper go at the superb Ashford & Simpson catalogue on Warner Brothers Records having had to do with the Warner Bros 2CD set Rhino put out a few years back (2008). And here BBR comes with "Is It Still Good To Ya" from 1978 and "Stay Free" from 1979 – both Remastered to perfection and with loads of cool bonuses. Here are squeeze me details...

UK released 31 July 2015 (August 2015 in the USA) - "Is It Still Good To Ya" by ASHFORD & SIMPSON on Big Break Records CDBBRX 0320 (Barcode 5013929062030) is an 'Expanded Edition' CD Remaster with 7 Bonus Tracks and pans out as follows (70:50 minutes).

1. It Seems To Hang On

2. Is It Still Good To Ya

3. The Debt Is Settled

4. Ain't it A Shame

5. Get Up And Do Something [Side 2]

6. You Always Could

7. Flashback

8. As Long As It Holds You

Tracks 1 to 8 are the album "Is It Still Good To Ya" – released September 1978 in the USA on Warner Brothers BSK-3219 and in the UK on Warner Brothers K 56547

BONUS TRACKS:

9. It Seems To Hang On (12" Disco Mix)

10. Flashback (12" Disco Mix)

11. Is It Still Good To Ya (Alternate Mix)

12. The Debt Is Settled (Alternate Mix)

13. It Seems To Hang On (Mike Maurro Mix)

14. Flashback (Single Version)

15. It Seems To Hang On (Single Version)

There’s a 16-page booklet with liner notes by a veteran of these releases CHRISTIAN JOHN WIKANE - along with photos of US Warner Brothers 45s and those sought after American Promo 12" singles ("It Seems To Hang On" and "Flashback"). There’s even a photo spread of the US trade advert that accompanied the album's release in the USA. The remaster is by BBR’s own WAYNE A DICKSON with additional work from the vastly experienced NICK ROBBINS (does tons of work for Ace and other labels). The audio is fabulous – full of power and the amazing Production values afforded the album in the first place. And stepper fans are going to love those bonus 12" Disco Mixes that exchange for such huge money...

While both the smooth Funk of “It Seems To Hang On” and the dancefloor filler of “Is It Still Good To Ya” dominated the charts (Nos. 2 and 12 USA R’n’B) – album cuts like the brilliant Soul-Funk of “Get Up And Do Something’” and the warm sweet melody of “You Always Could” will send fans of thios largely forgotten album. Apart from the pseudo Teddy Pendergrass spoken-smooch of “Ain’t it A Shame” - the whole record is classy which wicked grooves like “As Long As It Holds You”. But what puts this CD reissue into another league is the killer extras - DJs will love the 7:00 minute Disco Remix of “It Seems To Hang On” and the 5:32 minutes of “Flashback” – even the 7” single mix of “It Seems To Hang On” at 3:39 minutes is an unexpected winner.

Great sound and tasty presentation – another winner from BBR and one that fans of this long-lasting Soul/Funk/R&B duo will need...

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

1. Send It – ASHFORD & SIMPSON (1977)

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

3. Stay Free – ASHFORD and SIMPSON (1979)

4. Central Heating – HEATWAVE (1977)

5. Hot Property - HEATWAVE (1979)

6. Candles - HEATWAVE (1980)

7. Turnin' On - HIGH INERGY (1977)

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

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

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

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

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

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. In Philadelphia - O'JAYS (1969)

20. Back Stabbers - O'JAYS (1972)

21. Ship Ahoy - O'JAYS (1973)

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

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

24. 360 Degrees Of Billy Paul - BILLY PAUL (1972)

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

26. Platinum Hook – PLATINUM HOOK (1978)

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

28. Live: Stompin’ At The Savoy – RUFUS and CHAKA KHAN (1983)

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)

37. Heartbeats – YARBROUGH & PEOPLES (1983)

"Send It" by ASHFORD & SIMPSON (2015 Big Break Records (BBR) 'Expanded Edition' CD Remaster with Four Bonus Tracks) - A Review by Mark Barry...

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"...Take Me Up To The Top..." 

Big Break Records of the UK (known also as BBR) have been doing ASHFORD & SIMPSON fans the world over a solid for some time now - reissuing their voluminous Warner Brothers back catalogue onto superb CD Remasters - and all with quality audio, liner notes and rare Bonus Tracks. Here comes another - this time dealing with their American-only 1977 platter "Send It" - a quality album in their cannon of work. Here are the details...

UK released 28 August 2015 (September 2015 in the USA) - "Send It" by ASHFORD & SIMPSON on Big Break Records CDBBRX0315 (Barcode 5013929061538) is an 'Expanded Edition' CD Reissue and Remaster with Four Bonus Tracks and plays out as follows (62:07 minutes):

1. By Way Of Love's Express

2. Let Love Use Me

3. Don't Cost You Nothing

4. Send It

5. Top Of The Stairs [Side 2]

6. Too Bad

7. Bourgie Bourgie (Instrumental)

8. I Waited Too Long

Tracks 1 to 8 are their album "Send It" - released September 1977 in the USA on Warner Brothers BS-3088. It peaked at No. 10 on the US R&B charts and No. 52 on the Pop charts (it was unreleased in the UK).

BONUS TRACKS:

9. Don't Cost You Nothing (12" Disco Mix)

10. Bourgie Bourgie (Joe Claussell's Classic Remix)

11. Send It (Single Version)

12. Don't Cost You Nothing (Single Version)

The 16-page booklet is the usual BBR plethora of American label repros ("Send It" on Warner Brothers WBS 8453 - "Don't Cost You Nothing" on Warner Brothers WBS 8514 and "By Way Of Love's Express" on Warner Brothers WBS 8571) - as well as photos of the hip couple and superbly detailed new liner notes by CHRISTIAN JOHN WIKANE alongside full reissue credits. The 'super' jewel case and see-through CD tray add a touch of reissue class - but the best news is the new Remaster by WAYNE A DICKSON and NICK ROBBINS - two very experienced transfer merchants. All the great Funk lines are in yer face - lovely Bass and Vocals - sweet sound filling your living room. A very nice job indeed...

Their albums always feature goodies amidst the lesser tunes – but "Send It" feels sweet all the way through both sides. It opens with an obvious single "By Way Of Love’s Express" where Nick Ashford tells his lady Valerie Simpson that a train is hurrying his love towards her (what a gent). Their ballads always felt a notch above syrup and the lovely "Let Love Use Me" is proof - a duet-vocal mid-tempo smoocher with strings. But that moment of lurve is roundly whomped by the fabulous dancefloor groove of "Don't Cost You Nothing" - a total Funk-Soul winner clocking in at just under five-minutes in its album form (the Bonus Tracks give us the 12" Disco Mix at 6:48 and the 7" single edit at a svelte 3:40 minutes). I can remember dancefloors filling to this great Piano-Funk groove as DJs spun those 12" singles with their Warner Brothers die-cut sleeves. Side 1 then ends on the album's other killer - the 'spread a little love' slowy "Send It" - a No. 15 R&B hit in August 1977.

Side 2 opens with the bopper "Top Of The Stairs" where our Nick has an urge he's hoping his woman will understand (take me up to the top and we'll get lost in the darkness). "Too Bad" is cool too but my poison is the sensual and slick instrumental "Bourgie Bourgie" - represented here twice by a Joe Claussell Remix in the Bonus Tracks. It ends on the tremulous vocals of "I Waited Too Long" where our hero laments his 'without love' situation and that he missed the last dance (self-inflicted misery pal). The Four Extras come as very cool icing on an already very tasty cake.

A top reissue from BBR once again - well done to all involved - and a must own for fans...

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

1. Send It – ASHFORD & SIMPSON (1977)

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

3. Stay Free – ASHFORD and SIMPSON (1979)

4. Central Heating – HEATWAVE (1977)

5. Hot Property - HEATWAVE (1979)

6. Candles - HEATWAVE (1980)

7. Turnin' On - HIGH INERGY (1977)

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

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

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

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

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

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. In Philadelphia - O'JAYS (1969)

20. Back Stabbers - O'JAYS (1972)

21. Ship Ahoy - O'JAYS (1973)

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

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

24. 360 Degrees Of Billy Paul - BILLY PAUL (1972)

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

26. Platinum Hook – PLATINUM HOOK (1978)

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

28. Live: Stompin’ At The Savoy – RUFUS and CHAKA KHAN (1983)

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)

37. Heartbeats – YARBROUGH & PEOPLES (1983)

-->

"Universal Love" by MFSB (2015 Big Break Records Expanded CD – Nick Robbins and Wayne A. Dickson Remasters) - A Review by Mark Barry...

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"...My Mood..."

In April 1975 (with the Vietnam War officially declared over by President Ford) – the last troops left Saigon and America was ready to party and feel good. You can see this in the sleeve of June 1975's "Universal Love" by MFSB (MFSB was the in-house Soul Orchestra for Gamble & Huff’s Philadelphia International label). A sun rises on a vessel-less sea that has flowers of hope floating above it – a far cry from the cover art for MFSB's 2nd album "Love Is The Message" from December 1973 with its ugly skull soldier and atomic bomb explosion looming in the background (the self-titled debut album from April 1973 showed a syringe lying in a coffin - reflecting America’s inner-city slide into drugs). The largely instrumental "Universal Love" album contained sexy rhythms and warm sways totally capturing the National zeitgeist and catapulting it up to No.2 on the American R&B charts and an impressive No. 4 on the US Pop charts. This 2015 Expanded BBR CD is a great celebration of that warmly remembered summer record and here are the tender loving cares (with big strings and even bigger hairdos)...

UK released July 2015 – "Universal Love: Expanded CD Version" by MFSB on Big Break Records CDBBRX 0312 (Barcode 5013929061231) breaks down as follows (46:41 minutes):

1. Sexy

2. MFSB

3. Human Machine

4. Love Has No Time Or Place

5. T.L.C. (Tender Loving Care) [Side 2]

6. Let's Go Disco

7. K-Jee

8. My Mood

Tracks 1 to 8 are their 2nd studio album "Universal Love" – released June 1975 in the USA on Philadelphia International KZ 33158 and July 1975 in the UK on Philadelphia International S PIR 80410

BONUS TRACKS:

9. Sexy (Single Version)

10. T.L.C. (Tender Loving Care) (Single Version)

11. Let's Go Disco (Promotional Single Version)

12. K-Jee (Single Version)

Four 7" singles were released in the UK and USA around the album and this BBR CD will allow fans to sequence 'most' of them as follows...

[9] = Track 9 on the CD:

1. Sexy [9] b/w Human Machine [3]

Released May 1975 in the USA on Philadelphia International ZS8 3567

Released July 1975 in the UK on Philadelphia International S PIR 3381

Notes: the A-side is a 7" single edit at 3:13 minutes, the album cut is 3:36 minutes. "Sexy" also turned up at a B-side to the January 1977 UK reissue 7" single of "TSOP (The Sound Of Philadelphia)" by MSFB on Philadelphia International S PIR 4888.

2. T.L.C. (Tender Loving Care) [10] b/w Love Has No Time Or Place

Released September 1975 in the USA on Philadelphia International ZS8 3576

Notes: the A-side is a 7" single edit at 3:20 minutes, the album cut is 3:44 minutes. The B-side "Love Has No Time Or Place" is also an edit at 3:30 minutes but unfortunately isn't included on this CD (the full album version runs to 6:21 minutes). There was no UK 7" issue.

3. Let's Go Disco [6] b/w My Mood [8]

3. Let's Go Disco (Album Version) [6] b/w (D.J. Short Version) [11]

Released September 1975 in the UK on Philadelphia International S PIR 3635. Only the Demo/Promo version had a 'D.J. Short Version' on the B-side running to 2:37 minutes instead of the album's 4:18 minutes on the A.

4. K-Jee [12] b/w My Mood [8]

Released March 1978 in the USA on Philadelphia International ZS8 3641

Released May 1978 in the UK on Philadelphia International S PIR 6287

Notes: the A-side is a single edit at 3:20 minutes while the album full version is 4:19 minutes – the B-side is the full album version at 4:15 minutes.

The CD comes in one of those round-corner jewel cases BBR seems to favour their reissues while the 16-page booklet features new liner notes by noted NYC-based Soul writer CHRISTIAN JOHN WIKANE. There’s detailed discussion on the sophistication of the album for the Disco genre and its popularity across all boards (including the Pop world) – all of it peppered with photos of those American Philadelphia International labels along with rare European picture sleeves and photos of the huge ensemble orchestra. But the big news (as ever with BBR) is a superb remaster by NICK ROBBINS and BBR's main tape man WAYNE A. DICKSON. Primarily an 8-track instrumental LP with vocals only on "Love Has No Time Or Place" and "Let's Go Disco" – the emphasis was always going to be on the orchestral swirls, guitar licks, bass slaps, brass punches and that high-hat rhythm. This CD sounds fabulous. If I was to single out one track that shows this it’s the gorgeous album finisher "My Mood" – an instrumental that sounds like easy-listening Bacharach taken to another Soulful level. I’ve had this on Philly compilations of old – but the audio off this beauty beats them all. Impressive...

Kenneth Gamble and Leon Huff not surprisingly penned the two slick openers – the dancefloor friendly "Sexy" and "MFSB" (Mothers Fathers Sisters Brothers) and they sound fab. Ron Baker of the Salsoul Orchestra co-wrote "Human Machine" with Leon Huff and is a mid-tempo groove with great Steely Dan-ish guitar and keyboard flicks (feels like Disco all grown up and proud of itself). By the time you get to the six-minute "Love Has No Time Or Place" (written by Bruce Hawes and Cynthia Briggs) the group has reached a place of sophisticated excellence that is hard to resist – a perfect hybrid of Disco girl-vocals over George Benson Jazz guitar licks – all of it complimented by that shuffling Philly backbeat and the ever-present lush strings. It’s an impressive groove and frankly sexy too.

Side 2 opens with "T.L.C. (Tender Loving Care)" – a jazzy slide in gives way to pure Philly bop – all high-hats, wah-wah guitars, brass and strings. We get a bit Funk with "Let's Go Disco" where they sound like Kool & The Gang and "K-Jee" is cool too –but my poison has always been the masterful Gamble & Huff slink of "My Mood" – a stunning instrumental that feels the ultimate Easy Listening Jazz cool. I'm always putting it on Soul CD-R compilations in order to show off my Soul smarts and Street cred (oh dear)...

So there you have it – a wicked 2015 Expanded CD reissue for MFSB's "Universal Love" and with that crack-a-lacking Audio - a must own for fans everywhere. The only glitch is the absence of that 7" Single Edit of "Love Has No Time Or Place" (a bad mistake really) – but other than that slip up - this is another BBR audio winner - and well done to all the bods in Big Break Records who got it out into the public domain in such style...

PS: Big Break Records (BBR) CD Remasters I’ve reviewed up to July 2015:

1. Central Heating – HEATWAVE (1977)

2. Hot Property - HEATWAVE (1979)

3. Candles - HEATWAVE (1980)

4. Turnin' On - HIGH INERGY (1977)

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

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

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

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

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

10. Love Is The Message - MFSB (1973)

11. Universal Love – MFSB (1975)

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

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

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

15. In Philadelphia - O'JAYS (1969)

16. Back Stabbers - O'JAYS (1972)

17. Ship Ahoy - O'JAYS (1973)

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

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

20. 360 Degrees Of Billy Paul - BILLY PAUL (1972)

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

22. Platinum Hook – PLATINUM HOOK (1978)

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

24. Summernights – SILVER CONVENTION (1977)

25. Smoked Sugar - SMOKED SUGAR (1975)

26. Soul Master – EDWIN STARR (1968)

27. Involved - EDWIN STARR (1971)

28. Switch - SWITCH (1978)

29. Watercolors – THE WATERS (1980)

30. Just As I Am - BILL WITHERS (1971 Debut LP on Sussex/A&M Records)
31. Heartbeats – YARBROUGH & PEOPLES (1983)

"Platinum Hook" by PLATINUM HOOK (2014 Big Break Records (BBR) 'Expanded Edition' CD Remaster with Three Bonus Tracks) - A Review by Mark Barry...

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“…It’s Time To Come Together…”

This is a smart reissue of a long-forgotten Soul/Funk Motown LP and typically Big Break Records of the UK (BBR) have done a bang-up job.

UK released August 2014 - Big Break Records CDBBRX 0196 (Barcode 5013929049635) breaks down as follows (52:37 minutes):

Tracks 1 to 8 are their self-titled debut album "Platinum Hook" - released April 1978 in the USA on Motown M7-899R1 and June 1978 in the UK on Tamla Motown STML 12086.
Tracks 9, 10 and 11 are Bonuses - 7" single versions of "Hooked For Life", "Standing On The Verge (Of Getting It On)" and "Gotta Find A Woman".

The 12-page booklet has detailed liner notes by Hi-Fi Magazine author J. MATTHEW COBB that features new interviews with band founder and songwriter GREG WRIGHT as well as photos of American and UK Motown singles, pictures of the band and discography info etc. But the big news as ever is the superlative new remaster by WAYNE A. DICKSON (from work originally carried out by another top engineer KEVIN REEVES at Universal). The clarity and quality is huge and reflects the world-class production values given the album. This is a fantastic sounding CD.

"Platinum Hook" was the first of three albums they did at Motown between 1978 and 1983 and apart from the cover of Funkadelic's classic "Standing On The Verge (Of Getting It On)" - the other 7 songs on their debut are largely GREG WRIGHT and ROBERT DOUGLAS originals. The band also used two great lead vocalists to alternate between tunes - TINA RENEE STANFORD and STEPHEN DANIELS.

It opens with a gorgeous 45-second instrumental passage ala Soulful Earth, Wind And Fire before "Bittersweet" launches into the club Funk of 1978. Better is the uptempo message Soul of "Hotline" (lyrics above). Mid tempo Disco/Soul Numbers "Hooked For Life" and "Gotta Find A Woman" sound like Heatwave with a female vocalist fronting the brass and catchy melodies. Having heard the 3:49 minute 7" single edit of "Gotta Find A Woman" in particular for years now - what a blast it is to hear the full album version stretch out at 6:06 minutes - and in such stunning sound. It's the kind of great Stepper Soul tune that shouldn't be forgotten - brilliant stuff. The album ends on the high tempo piano Soul of "City Life" - bound to fill a dancefloor somewhere.

Another winner from BBR - quality presentation and superb sound - fans need to own this...

"War Of The Gods" by BILLY PAUL (2012 Big Break Records 'Expanded Edition' CD - Wayne A. Dickson Remaster) - A Review by Mark Barry...

This Review Along With 100s Of Others Is Available in my

SOUNDS GOOD E-Book on all Amazon sites

SOUL, FUNK and JAZZ FUSION - Exception CD Remasters  

Just Click Below To Purchase for £3.95

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

(No Cut and Paste Crap)

"…Trust Your Better Judgment…Challenge Your Heart…"

With all 6 of its tracks written by the dynamic Soul duo of KENNETH GAMBLE and LEON HUFF (with contributions from Bunny Sigler, Cary Gilbert and Joannie Arc) and the music played entirely by MFSB - Billy Paul's 3rd album for Philly is considered by many (including the artist himself) to be his best record. And this new and expanded UK CD reissue of that 1973 Philly gem does it proud. Here are the waring details...

UK released November 2012 – "War Of The Gods" by BILLY PAUL on Big Break Records CDBBR 0184 (Barcode 5013929048430) is an ‘Expanded Edition’ CD Remaster with Three Bonus Tracks and breaks down as follows (50:55 minutes):

1. I See The Light

2. War Of The Gods

3. The Whole Town’s Talking

4. I Was Married

5. Thanks For Saving My Life

6. Peace Holy Peace

Tracks 1 to 6 are the vinyl album "War Of The Gods" - released November 1973 in the USA on Philadelphia International KZ 32409 in a gatefold sleeve with an insert. Stateside it reached Number 12 on the R&B charts and Number 110 on the Pop charts. It was also belatedly issued in the UK on Philadelphia International S PIR 65861 in June 1974.

BONUS TRACKS:

7. War Of The Gods (Single Version)

8. The Whole Town's Talking (Single Version)

9. I Was Married (Single Version)

There were 4 x 7" singles issued around the album and this CD will allow fans to sequence them as follows:

1. War Of The Gods (Part 1) [7] b/w War Of The Gods (Part 2)

November 1973 PROMO-ONLY USA 7" single on Philadelphia International AE7 1080

2. Thanks For Saving My Life [5] b/w I Was Married [9]

November 1973 USA 7" single on Philadelphia International ZS7 3538

3. Thanks For Saving My Life [5] b/w I See The Light [1]

November 1973 UK 7" single on Philadelphia International S PIR 1928

4. The Whole Town's Talking [8] b/w I Was Married [9]

April 1974 UK 7" single on Philadelphia International S SPIR 2225

As is customary now- these BBR CDs come in one of those new rounded jewel cases with a 12-page inlay. Liner notes are by noted music-writer ANDY KELLMAN with contributions from BILLY PAUL and BLANCHE WLLIAMS. Several of the Philly 7" singles are pictured - the colour photo of Paul that graced the inner gatefold is centered in the booklet and the rare insert that looked almost like a black and white art print is reproduced on Page 3. Even the words under every song on the rear sleeve are here (those from "I See The Light" title this review). Great attention to detail - but once again the fireworks comes with the SOUND...

Remastered from the original tapes by BBR's resident engineer WAYNE A. DICKSON at Soundmasters in London - the sound quality is typically superb. I've raved about this guy's work before - and this reissue is no different. Lovely clarity - virtually no hiss - warm presence in the speakers - just great and 'so' Soulful too.

The album opens with an absolutely fabulous double-track sucker punch - two trippy-soulful cuts called "I See The Light" at 6-minutes and the epic 10-minute album version of "War Of The Gods" - very Isaac Hayes as it lingers and grooves. Combined with "Peace Holy Peace" (the last track on the LP) they give the whole LP a very mellow socially-conscious feel - more Marvin Gaye's "What's Going On" than The O'Jays "Backstabbers" if you know what I mean. Both "The Whole Town's Talking" and "I Was Married" are the more poppy Soul side of Philly and actually sound a little out of place here. But "Thanks For Saving My Life" is an excellent jaunty mid-tempo number. A clever move by BBR is including the sought-after PROMO-ONLY 7" cut of "War Of The Gods" which edits the epic talking-song down to a more manageable 5:37 minutes.

To sum up - as with so much of the Philly label you forget just how good it is. And that stunning MFSB backing group - top stuff. In truth - I'm not a huge fan of the poppier tunes on here - but that threesome of 'lurve' tunes is really exceptional.

I've loved rehearing this great album - and with this fantastic new sound quality - a must-own for Seventies Soul/Fusion lovers everywhere.

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

1. Send It – ASHFORD & SIMPSON (1977)

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

3. Stay Free – ASHFORD and SIMPSON (1979)

4. Central Heating – HEATWAVE (1977)

5. Hot Property - HEATWAVE (1979)

6. Candles - HEATWAVE (1980)

7. Turnin' On - HIGH INERGY (1977)

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

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

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

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

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

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. In Philadelphia - O'JAYS (1969)

20. Back Stabbers - O'JAYS (1972)

21. Ship Ahoy - O'JAYS (1973)

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

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

24. 360 Degrees Of Billy Paul - BILLY PAUL (1972)

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

26. Platinum Hook – PLATINUM HOOK (1978)

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

28. Live: Stompin’ At The Savoy – RUFUS and CHAKA KHAN (1983)

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)

37. Heartbeats – YARBROUGH & PEOPLES (1983)