February 2008

Wednesday, February 27, 2008

Barbara Jean English - 1972 - So Many Ways...

An unknown gem, lost in the music lover's collections.

I finally discovered it and i am happy to share it with you.

Great rhythm ‘n’ blues vocals from one of the sweetest singers of the early '70s. Barbara Jean English notched another Northern soul hit (billed as Barbara English) with Sittin In The Corner, a record which now changes hands for £150 a copy.

This is a @320 vinyl rip of my original Alithia Record with covers.

Tracks
A1 I'm Sorry (2:55)
A2 I'm Living A Lie (2:45)
A3 Lil' Baby (3:46)
A4 Danger Signs (2:30)
A5 Baby I'm A Want You (2:28)
B1 So Many Ways To Die (3:20)
B2 Just Like A Lady (3:07)
B3 All This (3:40)
B4 Don't Make Me Over (2:23)
B5 Love Story (3:06)

Barbara Jean English was a member of the popular New Jersey girl group the Clickettes and recorded many pop-soul sides with them in the late '50s and '60s. She returned in the '70s to record two albums of lushly produced soul with a concentration on sensual ballads. After a brief hiatus, she re-teamed with the Clickettes in the '90s to tour the oldies circuit. “I'm Living A Lie” is included in several northern soul compilations. A great cover of Bacharach/David “Don't Make Me Over” and Francis Lai “Love Story” are the highlights of this forgotten gem.

Get it here
Barbara_Jean_English_-1972-_So_Many_Ways.rar

Monday, February 25, 2008

Lee Dorsey - The New Lee Dorsey

Lee Dorsey - The New Lee Dorsey
(Working In The Coal Mine/ Holy Cow Twofer)

Tracks :
1. Working in the Coal Mine
2. Operation Heartache
3. Why Wait Until Tomorrow
4. Mellow Good Time
5. Mexico
6. Gotta Find a Job
7. Rain Rain Go Away
8. Confusion
9. Holy Cow
10. Don't You Ever (Leave Me)
11. Neighbor's Daughter
12. Little Dab a Do Ya
13. Mellow Good Time, Pt. 2 *
14. Little Ba-By *
15. I'm Gonna Sit Right Down and Write Myself a Letter *
16. Lover Was Born *
17. What Now My Love *
18. Lottie Mo '68 *
19. Everything I Do Gonh Be Funky (From Now On) *
20. There Should Be a Book *
21. Candy Yam *
22. Give It Up *
23. What You Want (Is What You Get) *
24. I'm the One *

Review:
Less than a year had passed between this and Lee Dorsey's previous LP, Ride Your Pony, and Allen Toussaint was again the prime creative force, writing material and co-producing. The sound, however, had definitely taken a step in a funkier direction. It's still lighthearted, though not lightweight, soul music with a New Orleans bounce, paced by the Top Ten hit "Working in a Coal Mine" and also including the Top 30 follow-up "Holy Cow." Other than those hit singles, the songs, though not exactly throwaways, aren't up to the same level. The original LP duplicated four songs from Ride Your Pony, and the 2000 Sundazed CD reissue has taken intelligent liberties with the track sequence. It removes the four duplicated songs and replaces them with rare singles from the era, most notably the uncommonly moody 1967 45 "Rain Rain Go Away." Furthermore, an additional dozen tunes are added as bonus tracks, most taken from rare 1968-1970 singles, with a couple of previously unissued cuts and a 1968 recording ("Lottie Mo '68") that didn't show up until 1997. These bonus items are on the whole more worthy of investigation than the slightly earlier rarities that fill out Sundazed's Ride Your Pony CD, as Dorsey and Toussaint (who was, still, writing virtually everything) venturing into deeper funk, sometimes with backup by the Meters. Maybe you don't need the five-minute reading of "What Now My Love," but "Little Ba-By," the self-fulfilling prophecy "Everything I Do Gonh Be Funky (From Now On)," and "What You Want (Is What You Get)" are decent soul-funk. Of the previously unavailable songs, "A Mellow Good Time, Pt. 2" is an instrumental continuation of one of the songs on The New Lee Dorsey, while "I'm the One" is a serviceable 1970 Toussaint number.
~Richie Unterberger, All Music Guide

Get it here :
RapidShare or SendSpace

Thursday, February 21, 2008

Black Ivory - 1975 - Feel It

Mmmmmmmm...... The sounds of sweet soul music stirring in the taste buds of hungry music listeners. Around the early 70''s, there were quite a few of these wonderful sweet soul groups such as, The Delfonics, The Chi-Lites, The Stylistics, The Fuzz, Chocolate Syrup, Soul Generation, First Class, Continental Four, and The Main Ingredient, and so on, to satisfy our desires, and to have our musical souls sweetened. Well, this group that hails from New York City, decided to add their magic touch to create a yummy ingredient for tasteful soul. Sweet soul fans,
I give you............ Black Ivory !!!!!

This is a @320 vinyl rip of my original Buddah record with covers.

Tracks
A1 Will We Ever Come Together (3:28)
A2 Your Eyes Say Goodbye (4:31)
A3 You're Whats Been Missing From My Life (2:59)
A4 Daily News (Vocal) (4:46)
A5 All In A Day's Love (2:43)

B1 Feel It (3:20)
B2 Warm Inside (3:32)
B3 Love, Won't You Stay (2:05)
B4 Daily News (Instrumental) (3:11)

Sweet mellow soul meets the burgeoning East Coast club sound -- and the result is a tasty album of groovers that includes the vocal and instrumental versions of "Daily News", plus the cuts "Warm Inside", "Feel It", "Will We Ever Come Together", and "All In A Day's Love". Arrangements by Leroy Burgess and Patrick Adams, with the classic Black Ivory groove.

After a four-year absence, and minus producer Patrick Adams, Feel It, produced by Robert John, Mike Gately and Black Ivory, ranks as good or better than the previous two. Heavy on ballads, this offering contains three sides written by group members Leroy Burgess, Stuart Bascombe, and Russell Patterson: "Warm Inside," "Your Eyes Say Goodbye," and the disco-oriented "Daily News." The cream, however, is John & Gately's "Will We Ever Come Together," a vastly underrated ballad.

Bio
"Mellow Souls" changed the name in to "Black Ivory"The group recorded their first hit for the label entitled, " Don't Turn Around" in 1971. The song became an instant smash, hitting No 38 on the R&B charts. An LP of the same title would surface around late 1971, and it's a sweet soul masterpiece !!!

The LP " Don't Turn Around" would release 2 wonderful smokers such as, " You and I" which hit No 32 on the R&B charts and " I'll Find A Way". The Lp contains more classics featured such as, " Find The One Who Loves You", " She Said That She's Leaving" and " If I Could Be A Mirror". During this time in 1972, the would make personal appearances around the country, gaining fans from all over. In early 1973, the group released their second LP entitled, " Baby Won't You Change Your Mind".

Another beautiful masterpiece single would be released from the LP named " Spinning Around" b/w " Find The One Who Loves You". The single became a doubled A sided hit around May of 1973. " We Made It" which was never featured on the LP was released along with " It's Time To Say Goodbye".

Even though Black Ivory released some great singles during the 1971-73 period, their label Today Records was going though some financial problems, so the group vowed to get out of their contract. After being released from their contact in late 1973, the group signed with the newly formed " Kwanza Records label in early 1974. " Kwanza" was a subsidary of Warner Bros. They recorded a funky get down single called "What Goes Around ( Comes Around)" and released it around the spring of 74,along with an appearance on tv's Soul Train. The label would fold very quickly, which prompt the group to sign with Buddah records in early 1975. They recorded a LP," Feel It" and release another great ballad, " Will We Ever Come Together". They continued to record for the label until their last LP in 1977, " Black Ivory". By then steam was running out for the group and Leroy Burgess left the group, leaving Bascombe and Patterson to form Black Ivory as a duo. Their last hit as a twosome was a dance club favorite named, " Mainline" in 1979. They split up in early part of the 80's.

Get it here

Black_Ivory_-1975-__Feel_It.rar

Monday, February 18, 2008

The Reflections - 1975 - Love On Delivery

Friday, February 15, 2008

Frederick Knight - 1972 - I've Been Lonely Fo So Long

Southern soul rarely if ever sounded so, so good. Simultaneously smooth and raw, "Lonely" has an immediacy that hits you where you live and then sticks around for a little while, taking up space on your sofa. Fix some sweet tea, and do it fast.

Frederick Knight's catchy "I've Been Lonely for So Long" was a sizable RB hit on Stax in 1972, and he wrote and produced Anita Ward's across-the-board smash "Ring My Bell" in 1979. Knight cut his own "I've Been Lonely for So Long" in Birmingham, Alabama with a seasoned southern soul crew behind him, and hit again in 1975 with "I Betcha Didn't Know That."

This is a @320 vinyl rip of my original Stax record.

Tracks

A1 I've Been Lonely for So Long 3:20
A2 This Is My Song of Love to You 3:14
A3 Take Me on Home Witcha 3:20
A4 Friend 3:28
A5 I Let My Chance Go By 3:54
A6 Your Love's All over Me 2:46

B1 Pick'um up Put'um Down 3:31
B2 Now That I've Found You 3:02
B3 Lean on Me 3:05
B4 Trouble 3:09
B5 Someday We'll Be Together 4:40

Mr. Knight uses his fine falsetto to best effect on the title song, which made it to #8 in the R&B charts in 1972. He also plays piano, organ, drums and percussion all over this self-produced 1973 Stax reissue. The album has plenty of fine songs. “ I Let A Chance Go By” is a wonderful mid-tempo look at regret and misery. Could it be a woman making Frederick so unhappy? Possibly. The vaguely doo-wopish ‘Now That I've Found You” is also worth a play or ten. Knight can manage funky, too, as he does on “Your Love's All Over Me/ Take Me On Home Witcha/ Pick 'Um Up, Put 'Um Down”. His cover of ‘Someday We'll Be Together” ain't too shabby either.

Frederick Knight was one of the many crooning Soul singers that signed to Stax. The title cut is a perfect example of his style with its light and catchy air led by Knight’s singing and the guitar. Trouble is in a similar vein. On the other hand, Friend and Lean On Me show a down home southern Soul feel to them, while ‘Take Me On Home Witcha” and “I Let My Change Go By” are more upbeat numbers. There’s also “Your Love’s All Over Me” and “Pick Um Up, Put Um Down” that get a little funky, especially the former track that has a little James Brown in it. Knight is even able to add his how style to the Motown song “Someday We’ll Be Together” that ends the album. The funky numbers are an added bonus, but it’s really the Soul of the record that holds its value.

Get it here

Frederick_Knight_-1973_-I_ve_Been_Lonely_For_So_Long.rar

Wednesday, February 13, 2008

Alice Clark - 1972 - Alice Clark

The Holy Grail of modern soul!
This is an amazing soul album that's highly prized among hardcore soul enthusiasts!

Share in the secret and find out why this album is so highly regarded!

This is an incredible album from the early 1970s. She's kind of a soul belter but with a groovy jazz sensibility and a bluesy wistfulness. If you like any of James Brown's women: Lynn Collins, for instance, you'll love this.

This is a @320 vinyl rip of my original Mainstream record.

Tracks
A1 I Keep It Hid (3:27)
A2 Looking At Life (3:10)
A3 Don't Worry Why (3:22)
A4 Maybe This Time (3:18)
A5 Never Did I Stop Loving You (2:34)

B1 Charms Of The Arms Of Love (2:38)
B2 Don't You Care (2:49)
B3 It Takes Too Long To Learn To Live Alone (3:34)
B4 Hard Hard Promises (3:05)
B5 Hey Girl (3:16)

There weren't many vocal albums on the Mainstream label during the early 70s, and this rare soul side is a real overlooked gem! Alice Clark has a rich soulful voice, with a style that sounds a bit like Esther Marrow, mixed with some of the lead vocalists in Voices Of East Harlem -a really right-on sort of sound that's totally great, and way hipper than most 70s chart soul! Arrangements are by Ernie Wilkins, who brings in a touch of jazz but again, with a much hipper feel than most of his other backings and most of the tracks are quite obscure, well-written tunes of the sort of material you might expect to hear sung by Gil Scott-Heron or Donny Hathaway

The self-titled 1972 disc from Alice Clark has more than stood the test of time, it is a sublime masterpiece of R&B/pop from the house of Bob Shad, the jazz producer who founded Mainstream Records, the original home for this superior project. Perhaps it isn't a coincidence that Clark's repertoire is exactly the kind of material Janis Joplin would pick up on in her days after Big Brother & the Holding Company, as this was also the first imprint that Joplin & the Holding Company recorded for professionally. Jimmy Webb's "I Keep It Hid" starts things off. A rendition of Fred Ebb and John Kander's tune, "Maybe This Time" from the motion picture Cabaret, is included along with three compositions from "Sunny" author Bobby Hebb. The collection of material from Webb, Ebb, and Hebb is actually genius A&R because all of it is a perfect fit. Northern soul fans and R&B critics are aware of this hidden treasure, but the buildup in this review of all the magnificent trappings shouldn't overshadow the fact that Alice Clark delivers the goods from start to finish. Some call it acid jazz, but truth be told, beyond the cult niches of space age bachelor pad and Northern soul — the base that keeps obscure gems such as this bubbling on a variety of radar screens — this is some of the best R&B you've probably never heard. The trifecta of Bobby Hebb songs include "Don't You Care" and "Hard, Hard Promises," two titles Hebb has yet to release on his own. The third is an up-tempo version of "The Charms of the Arms of Love" which concluded his 1970 album Love Games. Clark rips apart "It Takes Too Long to Learn to Live Alone" in wonderful fashion with tasteful guitar, chirping horns, and restrained vibraphone. Juanita Fleming's "Never Did I Stop Loving You" is just brilliant as the vocals take off into different dimensions inside and between the unique melody. The final track,"Hey Girl," is not the famous Carole King/Freddy Scott hit — it's a true find originally covered by Donny Hathaway and written by Hathaway's percussion player, Earl DeRouen. Here Clark changes it to "Hey Boy" in a lively, jazz-heavy jaunt which concludes the Toshiba/EMI version of this dynamite set of recordings that should have made Alice Clark a superstar.

Get the lady here
Alice_Clark_-1972_-Alice_Clark.rar

Sunday, February 10, 2008

Love Peace & Happiness - 1971 - Love Is Stronger

Big full sounding soul produced by Harvey Fuqua. Sort of in the hippie soul vein, but much more soul than hippie. Excellent and invigorating music that will lift the spirits of any jaded cynic.

A solid last hurrah for Love, Peace & Happiness, the least successful of the New Birth conception created by Vernon Bullock. The trio consisted of a vocal dynamo named Anne Bogan (Challengers, Marvelettes), and Melvin & Leslie Wilson (New Birth), this LP should have been their breakthrough. The trio, along with Harvey Fuqua, wrote the lion's share of the songs. The only one to get much play was "Strip Me Naked." The rest is a decent collection of tracks that, unfortunately, went nowhere on the charts.

This is a @320 vinyl rip of my original RCA record with covers.

Tracks

A1. Love Is Stronger Far Than We 5.38
A2. Only You 3.18
A3. Overlooked Generation 3.38
A4. Don’t take Your Love From Me 5.14
B1. Unborn Child 4.12
B2. Strip Me Naked 4.08
B3. You’ve Got To Be The One For Me 3.55
B4. Don’t Blame The Young Folks (For The Drug Society) 3.18
B5. Lonely Room 4.21

I’d never heard of Love, Peace & Happiness before stumbling across their record one day at the Groove Merchant. Harvey Fuque did the production for the three-piece vocal Soul outfit that featured the brothers Melvin and Leslie Wilson plus Ann Bogan from Michigan. The whole album is enjoyable from beginning to end with Love Is Stronger Far Than We that builds up until becoming a great shouter of a Soul tune by the end, the inspirational (Only You) Message To The Establishment with a chorus of “Only You, Can Make Things Better” about self-empowerment during the 70s, and the Pop oriented and radio friendly You’ve Got To Be The One For Me. Hands down though, the best is the ending Lonely Room with its funky edge.

bio
Ann Bogan (Challengers, Marvelettes), sing now between Mr. Melvin and Leslie Wilson. All three were also members of New Birth. LPH was part of Vernon Bullock's revue concept that Harvey Fuqua made a reality with New Birth, the Nitelighers, and Love, Peace & Happiness. The theory behind the mini revue was that three recording acts working together increased the chances of everybody gigging more, because the odds were greater that at least one of the three would have a hit at any given time. The Nitelighters scored first with "K-Jee," a staple of high school and college marching bands. Then New Birth rattled off a string of dramas that lit up Billboard's R&B chart. But, despite two solid RCA albums and a few singles, LPH never had a hit.

Bogan's blustery contralto complimented the Wilsons equally strong vocals. The three went way back a long ways. Bogan had met the brothers on gospel shows and brought them to her mentor's attention. In addition to admiring her voice — Fuqua recorded a duet with Bogan on Harvey ("Will I Do") — and felt he owed her something. When Motown absorbed Tri-Phi and Harvey, the Challengers became Motown artists. But only Junior Walker & the All-Stars, and to lesser degrees, Shorty Long and the Spinners received any attention

When RCA released their first single, "Don't Blame the Young Folks," in 1970, it marked Bogan's eighth year in show biz. Eight financially rough years. The Challengers' recordings, "Honey," "Stay With Me," and "I Hear an Echo," were under-financed and didn't have a chance. When Bogan became a mom, her mom insisted she raised her own kids; i.e., give it up (show business), it hasn't gotten you anywhere. She didn't travel with the show and Fuqua wired her money to get to wherever they were playing. Sometimes she made it; but often she didn't, which added another nail in the groups' coffin.

After a few more singles, "Strip Me Naked" and a rendition of Gladys Knight & the Pips' "I Don't Want to Do Wrong," they disbanded. The Wilson brothers remained the key ingredients in New Birth, and Ann Bogan settled into a secure nine-to-five J-O-B in Cleveland. LPH's two RCA albums, Love Is Stronger (1971) and Here T'Is (1972), ought to be on a CD.

Get it here

Love_Peace___Happiness_-1971-_Love_Is_Stronger.rar

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Thursday, February 7, 2008

Made In USA - 1977 - Made In USA

An obscure funky soul band -- with a sound that's got touches of disco, but which is mostly uptempo soul with female lead vocals. Funky backing, and harmony vocals by the male members of the group.

Here is a funky modern soul album by the group 'made in usa' this record is super funky and soulful music backed by sweet vocals. A real bunch of dope tunes on this record.

This is a @320 vinyl rip of my original De-Lite record with covers.

Tracks

A1 Never Gonna Let You Go (5:02)
A2 Try Once More (4:15)
A3 Sexy Lady (4:26)
A4 Try To Find A Way (3:17)

B1 Melodies (4:49)
B2 I Don't Want Live With You (3:55)
B3 Gotta Get A High (5:25)
B4 Shake Your Body (4:03)
B5 Melodies (Instrumental) (2:40)

"Sexy Lady" is the track that stands out from this full packed LP, notably for it's Strikers/Crown heights affair feel, funky, sexy, groovy and even funny, it isn't known if an extended 12" version was issued but LP version is satisfying, also similar in feel but, with a lower beats per minute count is "Shake your body" featuring the vocals of Jann Harrison the only female member of the group who also sings on most of the other tracks that are different in feel, a little less funky, a little more soft disco but enjoyable nevertheless, their biggest hit was "Melodies" included on the original LP.

Made In USA (Made In Unity, Strength Ambition) formed in 1975 and only stayed together a few years. Freida Nerangis and Britt Britton hand-picked the self- contained unit with the help of Brooklyn native and alto sax player, Darryl Gibbs. The other members, also from Brooklyn were Jann Harrison (vocalist), Willie Slaughter (bass), Herbert Aikens (tenor sax), Kevin Hood (keyboards), Charles Morais (guitar), Ruben Faison (alto sax), and Greg Henderson (trumpet). Harrison, a statuesque beauty had sung with the Exciters, most of the others had worked with a variety of artists including Ben E. King, Ecstacy, Passion & Pain, and Joe Bataan. Their first and only LP Melodies hit the streets in 1977. It was a true indicator of the groups' skills, and contained no overdubs, or extra musicians because it was important to them to be able to duplicate their recordings live. Nerangis and Britton composed most of the songs including the title track "Melodies." The single sold well in New York and Florida but deflated like a pricked balloon when De-Lite experienced distribution problems. A follow up "Shake Your Body," fail to shake up the charts. Disco ruled, but for some reason the group had problems finding work in the many venues in the Big Apple. With no gigs or hit records to keep the spark glowing, the members disbanded.

Get it here

Made_In_USA_-1977-_Made_In_USA.rar

Tuesday, February 5, 2008

Maxine Weldon - 1975 - Alone On My Own

Another one of those artist who had no success back at the glory days of soul and funk. But the lady had a voice....

At the same style like Marlena Shaw and Esther Phillips (work on the Kudu label during the early 70s) with jazz and blues influences.

This is a @320 Vinyl rip of my original Monument record with covers.

Tracks

A1 Alone on My Own
A2 Night Prayer
A3 Where's the One?
A4 Are You Coming Home Again?
A5 Lend Me Your Life
A6 Storms of Troubled Times

B1 I Want Sunday Back Again
B2 I'll Build a Stairway to Paradise
B3 My Way
B4 But Beautiful
B5 Someone Loves You Honey

One of those endlessly versatile vocalists who eventually earn the tag "song stylist," Maxine Weldon is equally at home singing soul, jazz, or blues, and often blurs the lines between all of them. Weldon cut her first LPs, Right On and Chilly Wind, for Mainstream over 1970-1971; despite an overall soul flavor, she received significant support from members of the Jazz Crusaders, among others. Weldon next turned up on the Monument label with 1974's Some Singin', a Southern-style country-soul outing that nonetheless bore the hallmark of Weldon's innate sophistication. It became her biggest seller, climbing into the Top 50 on the R&B album charts. She followed it in 1975 with Alone on My Own, but concentrated much less on recording in the years to come. Weldon remained active, though, performing regularly over the next several decades. She was a cast member of the Broadway show Black and Blue, touring with the European production from 1995-1997, and subsequently put together a revue called "Wild Women Blues" with singer Linda Hopkins.

Get it Here :

Maxine_Weldon_-1975-_Alone_On_My_Own.rar

Sunday, February 3, 2008

David Shire - 2010 Original Soundtrack

David Shire is among my top-notch composers. His music for films such as Coppola's "The Conversation" is truly great and shows his unbelievable ability to write themes that haunt you for ages. 2010 is an eighties sci-fi film with Roy Scheider. For the soundtrack, Shire uses synthesisers and other electronic devices of the time and, although I am not really into this kind of sound (I usually prefer "real" instruments, you see), the results are amazing. Apart from Strauss' well-known "Thus Spoke Zarathustra (in which Shire employs Police's Andy Summers for the guitar parts), the rest is atmospheric incidental music; yet it stands proudly on its own, without the need of watching the film.

I ripped the album from the original vinyl (which I bought for as much as 13 Euros) and I also scanned the cover. The only problem is that my scanner is too small for a vinyl cover to fit in, so I scanned the front cover in two parts. If any of you knows how to overlap them into a single cover, please do so and send me a link of the jpg, if possible.

Rip is 320kbps
RapidShare or SendSpace
Cover

Enjoy !!!

Friday, February 1, 2008

The Masqueraders - 1975 - Everybody Wanna Live On

A stellar vocal group who recorded some excellent singles in the 60s, and were fortunate enough to be pulled into the big time by Isaac Hayes for his Hot Buttered Soul imprint on ABC! The band mixes their smooth Memphis style with some tighter arrangements by Lester Snell.

A wonderful album ripped @256 from my original vinyl with covers.

Label: ABC Records
Catalog#: ABCD-921
Format: Vinyl, LP
Country: US
Released: 1975

Tracklisting:
A1 Everybody Wanna Live On (8:35)
A2 Please Don't Try (To Take Me Away To The Sky) (4:32)
A3 (Call Me) The Travelling Man (6:53)
A4 Listen (4:14)

B1 Baby It's You (6:38)
B2 Sweet Sweetning (4:12)
B3 (My Love For You Is) Honest And True (6:29)
B4 Your Sweet Love Is A Blessing (6:07)

1
The Masqueraders had been around since the early '60s, releasing singles for labels such as Bell, Wand, and Chips Moman's Memphis-based AGP. In the '70s, the group released two singles for Hi Records, then this 1975 album debut. Everybody Wanna Live On benefited from the subtle and innovative production values of Isaac Hayes; the title track is a powerful dance number that boasts not quite didactic lyrics and Jones' patented robust vocals. Although the group excelled at mid-tempo material, like the hooky "Please Don't Try (To Take Me Up to the Sky)," what typified the Hayes/Masqueraders alliance was mature and thoughtful ballads. One track in particular stands out, the dream-like "(Call Me) The Traveling Man," boasting both a poignant arrangement and a perfect performance from Jones. "(My Love For You Is) Honest And True" and "Your Sweet Love Is a Blessing" also mine ballad territory, both exhibiting the group's strong harmonies and commitment. Everybody Wanna Live On represents the sublime pairing of the right group with a sympathetic producer, and the results are highly skilled

2
The first single in '75 was a newly arranged, almost unrecognizable cover of the '62 Shirelles hit (by Bacharach-Davis-Williams), Baby It's You (# 76 - soul). This slowie was backed with an almost inspirational beater called Listen.
The succeeding album - the very first one since the group was formed eighteen years earlier - Everybody Wanna Live On, was produced and arranged by Isaac, recorded at Hot Buttered Soul recording studio in Memphis and orchestrated by Lester Snell. Rhythm and horns were provided by the Movement, strings and other horns by Memphis Symphony Orchestra and all the songs, except Baby It's You, were written by the Raders.

From the lot of nice and catchy movers (Everybody Wanna Live On) and fine harmony ballads (Honest And True) for the next single they picked up a classy ballad titled (Call Me) The Traveling Man (# 32-soul / #101-pop), backed with a dancer called Sweet Sweetning. The third single culled from the album was another quality slowie, Your Sweet Love Is A Blessing, which was flipped by a heavy mid-pacer named Please Don't Try (To Take Me Away To The Sky), but it didn't chart anymore.

Between the albums the group was approached by Mr. Kenny Gamble.
“he invited us into the studio, but we didn't go, because we were loyal to Isaac and we had a hit. But had we known that Isaac was in the process of filing bankruptcy, we would have went to Kenny”

Get it here
masqueraders_-_1975-_everybody_wanna_live_on.rar