Something Special - BONUS TRACK
Artist: Kool & the Gang

With their long track record, Kool & the Gang have always offered dance-provoking rhythms and Something Special fits that bill, too. Featuring the number one single "Take My Heart (You Can Have It if You Want It)," James "J.T." Taylor approaches the song in a cool, mesmerizing tone, closing out the vamp in his falsetto with a burst of energy... Read More

The Best of the Early Years
Artist: Patti Labelle & the Bluebelles

This album chronicles the recordings of Patti LaBelle & the Bluebelles from before their creation as a group -- the Bluebelles' biggest hit, "I Sold My Heart To The Junkman," was actually recorded by a different group, and they were then assembled to promote it -- to their departure from the small Philadelphia label for which they recorded in... Read More

The Very Best of Randy Crawford
Artist: Randy Crawford

If Randy Crawford was a car, she would be a fully loaded Lexus. Compiling a best-of album by Crawford is easy, you simply make sure you include "Street Life" and "Knockin' on Heaven's Door," then you pick at least 12 more songs from her array of albums; any 12, it doesn't matter which ones you choose cause she doesn't make bad tracks; everything... Read More

The Whispers - SOLAR
Artist: The Whispers
Community Score: 10.00

As a group who have recorded since the late '60s, the Whispers seemed to often be textbook journeyman who were one bump steer away from obscurity. Throughout the '70s they got their success by way of sporadic, great tracks like 1970's sad sack anthem, "Gotta Do Wrong," and 1976's "Living Together (In Sin). By the late 70s the group had... Read More

Barry & Glodean
Artist: Barry White

Barry and Glodean White combined for a delightful LP that got overlooked. After the dark, moody opening "Our Theme" the husband and wife team gets busy on the infectious "I Want You," and the Motown ish "You're The Only One For Me." On tracks 4, 5, and 6 they beg the pop/easy listening audience . . . maybe a bit too much, for fans of White's... Read More

Sheet Music
Artist: Barry White

Barry White, the Maestro of Love, wears the crown well on this romantic set. "Sheet Music," with its memorable lyrics and music, depicts White's bedroom bravado but unfortunately went unnoticed in many markets. "I Believe in Love" has a soulful groove and cool hand claps; the verses work, but the chorus is less than riveting. Beginning like... Read More

Three for Love
Artist: Shalamar

The Howard Hewett/Jody Daniels/Jeffrey Daniels edition of Shalamar was in excellent form on Big Fun, Friends and The Look, but if one had to pinpoint the group's best release ever, the hands-down winner would have to be its fourth album, Three for Love. With Leon Sylvers III producing and members of Shalamar and Lakeside contributing to the... Read More

Success
Artist: The Weather Girls

It was fun while it lasted for Martha Wash and Izora Rhodes, better known as Two Tons of Fun. The single "It's Raining Men" was one of the better left-field hits of 1982, and it helped make their debut album a mild success, although it lacked either a suitable follow-up single or consistently strong material. Still, there were a number of cuts... Read More

Busy Body
Artist: Luther Vandross
Community Score: 8.50

Luther Vandross has acquired a reputation for releasing solid, quality albums. Whereas some artists, whether intentional or unintentional, release albums with one or two good songs, Vandross makes every recording count regardless if every song is released. This project falls in line with one superb composition after another. From the alluring... Read More

Never Too Much
Artist: Luther Vandross
Community Score: 3.50

The debut solo album from Luther Vandross featured one outstanding song after another. Vandross concocts a bouncy, vibrant flow on his up-tempo numbers and an intimate, emotional connection on his moderate grooves and his lone ballad. The title track stormed up the Billboard R&B charts to number one where it remained for two weeks. The mellow... Read More

Forever, For Always, For Love
Artist: Luther Vandross
Community Score: 8.00

New York City native Luther Vandross did not generate any number one hits with his second effort for the Epic imprint. Nonetheless, he presents another solid album. The smooth crooner has demonstrated a keen ability to attractively arrange remakes with such beauty and suspense as he did with three of the four featured releases. On the vintage... Read More

Greatest Hits - RCA
Artist: The Pointer Sisters

The Pointer Sisters had their run of hit albums on Planet briefly interrupted in the early '80s, when their label rushed out this anthology as their second album of 1982. They were just coming off a huge R&B and pop hit in "Slow Hand," had another song on the R&B charts, and were red hot. This album didn't do much sales-wise, but served to keep... Read More

The Best of Patti LaBelle - EPIC
Artist: Patti LaBelle

Many of these songs appear on other Patti Labelle solo compilations, but this hits package covering the singer's 1977-1982 Epic sides stands out for its inclusion of the huge Labelle hit "Lady Marmalade." The 1974, Allen Touissant-produced classic was arguably Labelle, Nona Hendryx, and Sarah Dash's finest hour and a wonder to behold from the... Read More