"Hot Property" by HEATWAVE - May 1979 UK LP on GTO Records featuring Rod Temperton (November 2010 UK Big Break Records (BBR) 'Expanded Edition' CD Reissue and Remaster with Five Bonus Tracks) - A Review by Mark Barry...

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"…You're Right In It…"

With all songs on "Hot Property" written by Dancefloor Maestro ROD TEMPERTON (who would of course go on to Global fame by penning half of Michael Jackson's "Thriller") – it should be a killer album. But like so many Soul/Funk/Disco albums of the time (1979) – there's highs and lows. Here are both sides...

UK released November 2010 - "Hot Property" by HEATWAVE on Big Break Records BBRCD 0021 (Barcode 5013929032125) is an 'Expanded Edition' CD Reissue and Remaster with Five Bonus Tracks and plays out as follows (67:19 minutes):

1. Razzle Dazzle [Side 1]

2. Eyeballin'

3. This Night We Fell

4. Raise A Blaze

5. First Day Of Snow

6. One Night Tan [Side 2]

7. Therm Warfare

8. All Talked Out

9. That's The Way We'll Always Say Goodnight

10. Disco

Tracks 1 to 10 are the vinyl album "Hot Property" - released May 1979 in the UK on GTO Records GTLP 039.

BONUS TRACKS:

11. Birthday (7" Single Version)

12. Eyeballin' (US 12" Disco Version)

13. One Night Tan (US 7" Version)

14. Therm Warfare (UK 7" Single Version)

15. Birthday (US 12" Version)

The 16-page booklet is the usual great job done by BBR – pictures of the UK and US 7" and 12" labels, band photo and liner notes by HAYDEN JONES (a Writer and DJ in London) with discography info as well. And the rounded-corners of the Super Jewel Case makes it pretty to look at (visually different). But the big news as ever is the ALAN WILSON and WAYNE A. DICKSON remaster which is superlative - beautiful lush sound – real presence on every track.

It opens with a plucky "Razzle Dazzle" and continues in the same vein with "Eyeballin'" – both obvious single choices. The problem for me is that they’re not as good as "Gangsters Of The Groove" by any stretch of the imagination. Far better is the boppin' magic of the deliberately misspelt "Therm Warfare" which stretches to a floor-pleasing 6:44 minutes. It's a killer (lyrics from it title this review). "All Talked Out" is another goody that could so easily have been on MJ's "Off The Wall". The lone love song "That's The Way We'll Always Say Goodnight" is syrupy and features a grating weedy vocal. Things pick up with the final cut though – "Disco" - which sounds just like its title.

Heatwave's "Hot Property" is not nearly as good as the "Candles" album from 1981 (it was leading up to it) - but it most definitely has goodies worth owning. And if you're a fan of Late Seventies Funk and Disco and the genius way-with-a-melody of the sadly departed Rod Temperton – then don the spandex, embrace your inner glitterball and get sweaty with this sexy little reissue...

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. 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. Spinners – SPINNERS (1973)

31. Soul Master – EDWIN STARR (1968)

32. Involved - EDWIN STARR (1971)

33. Switch - SWITCH (1978)

34. Watercolors – THE WATERS (1980)

35. Just As I Am - BILL WITHERS (1971)

36. Heartbeats – YARBROUGH & PEOPLES (1983)

"Love Is The Message" by MFSB. A Review Of The 1973 Philadelphia International Records Album Now Remastered And Expanded on CD In 2012 By Big Break Records Of The UK (BBR).

This review is part of my "SOUNDS GOOD: Exceptional CD Remasters Soul, Funk & Jazz Fusion" Download Book available to buy on Amazon to either your PC or Mac (it will download the Kindle software to read the book for free to your toolbar). Click on the link below to go my Author's Page for this and other related publications:

                       http://www.amazon.co.uk/-/e/B00LQKMC6I

“…Love Is The Message…”

On the front sleeve of this 1973 album is a collage photo of something you don’t see every day on a SOUL album. There’s a deathly skull beneath a First World War helmet, Second World War Nazi Swastikas to the left, Fifties hooded Clansmen to the right and a Sixties atomic mushroom cloud below. The early Seventies saw Black Consciousness explode on the music scene like never before. And this wasn’t just songs about  ‘girl I miss you’ or ‘girl let’s get it on tonight’ - this was a full-on and heartfelt expression of a need and rage for the inequality, bigotry and segregation in American society to stop. Up step Kenneth Gamble and Leon Huff with one eye on the commercial and one hand on the heart. “Love” was indeed the message. Here are the Mother Father Sister and Brother details…

UK released September 2012 on Big Break Records BBRCD 0179 (Barcode 5013929047938) – tracks 1 to 8 are the vinyl album “Love Is The Message” released December 1973 in the USA on Philadelphia International KZ 32707 (54:35 minutes). Tracks 9 and 10 are bonuses - “Love Is The Message” (Single Version) and “TSOP (The Sound Of Philadelphia)” (A Tom Moulton Mix) – both tracks featuring The Three Degrees.

The 16-page booklet is the usual great job done by BBR – rare foreign 7” picture sleeves, US 7” Philly labels, liner notes by Rico “Superbizzee” Washington (writes for USA magazines and hosts a radio show) with discography info as well. But the big news as ever is the NICK ROBBINS and WAYNE A. DICKSON remaster which is incredible – beautiful lush sound – real presence. 

It’s an album of instrumentals some of which work – some don’t while others just feel like schlock  (“My One And Only” and “Touch me In The Morning”) or filler (”Zack’s Fanfare” which appears twice). In between are those great Philly dancers – and how good is it to hear the full album cut of “Love is The Message” at 6:36 minutes. The chipper and almost note=-for-note cover of Johnnie Taylor’s “Cheaper To Keep Her” has always been a favourite of mine (he had a hit with it on Stax earlier in 1973). It ends on a high note with the brilliant Jack Faith and Bruce Hawes instrumental “Bitter Sweet” – as cool and as lovely as Philly gets.

It’s all genius by any stretch of the imagination but what is on here now sounds stunning – and if you’re a fan of Seventies Soul or Philly – a must own.

PS: If you want more MFSB - they are the backing band on teh fabulous Billy Paul album "War Of The Gods" - I’ve also reviewed these other Big Break Records (BBR) CD releases:

1. Hot Property – HEATWAVE (1979) [see REVIEW]

2. Candles - HEATWAVE (1980) [see REVIEW]

3. Harvest For The World - THE ISLEY BROTHERS (1976) [see REVIEW] 

4. Go For Your Guns - THE ISLEY BROTHERS (1977) [see REVIEW]

5.  I Miss You - HAROLD MELVIN & THE BLUE NOTES (1972) [known as "Harold Melvin 

6. The Blue Notes" in the UK] [see REVIEW]

7. Black & Blue - HAROLD MELVIN & THE BLUE NOTES (1973) [see REVIEW]

8. Love Is The Message - MFSB (1973) [See REVIEW]

9. All The Faces Of... - BUDDY MILES (1974) [see REVIEW]

10. I Can See Clearly Now - JOHNNY NASH (1972) [see REVIEW]

11. In Philadelphia - O'JAYS (1969) [see REVIEW]

12. Back Stabbers - O'JAYS (1972) [see REVIEW]

13. Ship Ahoy - O'JAYS (1973) [see REVIEW]

14. Ebony Woman - BILLY PAUL (1970 and 1973) [See REVIEW]

15. 360 Degrees Of Billy Paul - BILLY PAUL (1972) [See REVIEW]

16. War Of The Gods - BILLY PAUL (1973) [See REVIEW]

17. Smoked Sugar - SMOKED SUGAR (1975) [see REVIEW]

18. Just As I Am - BILL WITHERS (1971) [debut LP on Sussex/A&M Records] [see REVIEW]

"Let Me In" by JOHNNY WINTER – A Review Of The 1991 Album On A PointBlank CD.

JOHNNY WINTER is part of my Series "SOUNDS GOOD: Exceptional CD Remasters 1970s Rock And Pop" Download Book available to buy on Amazon to either your PC or Mac (it will download the Kindle software to read the book for free to your toolbar). Click on the link below to go my Author's Page for this and other related publications:

                       http://www.amazon.co.uk/-/e/B00LQKMC6I

 ”…I’m An Illustrated Man...Got Tattoos Everywhere…”

Sometimes an artist locked into a genre like say SOUL or BLUES produces so many albums across a staggeringly long career – they can get overlooked – or even ignored. Winter’s “Let Me In” is a case in point. Because the only word to describe this album of non-stop Boogie and Blues is ‘blistering’.

It starts out fast with “Illustrated Man” (lyrics above) – slows down on occasion to Blues up your living room (“Life Is Hard”) – then continues rattling your speakers with fabulous rocking stuff like the 2:43 minutes of “Hey You” until they beg for mercy come the end.

First released on Virgin’s Pointblank label imprint in August 1991 on LP, MC and CD (Voiceprint VPB 5) – it’s top heavy with covers – but versions that satisfy. There’s Robert Parker’s “Barefootin’”, Rusty Lee’s “Sugaree” [written by Marty Robbins], Jimmy Reed’s “Shame Shame Shame”, Dr. John’s “You Lie Too Much” and acoustic blues on Jesse Mae Robinson’s “Blue Mood”.

The band features the heavy Harmonica warbling of Billy Branch on three – “Hey You”, “Shame Shame Shame” and “If You Got A Good Woman” - while Dr. John tinkers the ivories on three others - “”You Lie Too Much”, “Barefootin’” and “Life Is Hard”.

The menace in “Medicine Man” is fantastic too. But if you really want to hear how good Johnny Winter can be with a sympathetic band backing him - go to YouTube and seek out a video someone has posted of “If You Got A Good Woman” - one of the two originals on here. It features both Ken Saydek (Rounder Records) and Dr. John on piano with Billy Branch on Harmonica and Winter ripping up and down the frets. Holy crap! And Wow!

Bluesman – boogie merchant – call him what you want. Muddy Waters once called him the best Blues Guitarist in the world. That’s praise I could live with.

Get this fab little CD in your life folks…