It has been a while since I've done one of these posts, but
Harmless' new
Disco Discharge series are honestly some of the most pleasing disco compilations I've heard in a little while now. While not 100% devoted to rarities and obscurities, compiled around specific names or niche categories like most of the disco compilations that tend to pique my interest these days, I was, to be honest, half-expecting to be a little underwhelmed. To my own surprise, I've spent much of the last week or so indulging in these, discovering songs I never knew about (the awesome
Bobby O. production by
Free Enterprise - "
Make It On My Own," "
Take Me To The Top" by
Advance,
Massara's "
Margherita,"
Johnny Mathis' "
Gone, Gone, Gone) and re-acquainting myself with well-known classics that I've long taken for granted (
Rose Royce's "
Do Your Dance", the
Shep Pettibone mix of
Phyllis Nelson's "
I Like You), or never even bothered with in the first place (
Fern Kinney's "
Groove Me,"
Manhattan Transfer's "
Twilight Zone/Twilight Tone"). I have to give them credit with this, not only have they managed to mark a fine balance between choice rarities and the more well-known commercial hits, but across the four double-disc volumes in this series (
Classic Disco,
Disco Queens,
Gay Disco & Hi NRG and
Euro Disco), they've put together quite a broad-based series, well tuned to the current disco zeitgeist, balancing the classic disco of the late 70's with the increasing movement towards Italo, Boogie and Hi NRG.
As far as rarities are concerned, there are a good number of tracks on here which either don't seem to have ever been, or at the very least haven't been widely available on CD until now. While the track times are all listed, and the promo stickers advertise all tracks as "
12" or long LP versions," not all of these special versions are specifically labeled on the tracklists, like, for example the rare
Canadian 12" mix/extended edit of
Amanda Lear's "
Blood and Honey," mastered from the original tapes and exclusive to this series. With all of its sweet extended percussion breaks, finally being able to hear this track here in pristine digital quality is one of the major treats on here, especially given the prices that the original
Direction label 12" release has commanded on eBay in the not too distant past. Also included among the other unlabeled versions on here are the
John Luongo's 12" mix of
Melba Moore's "
Pick Me Up, I'll Dance", the extended mix of
Sparks'
Moroder-produced "
Number One Song In Heaven," the seven minute version of
Time Bandits' "
Live It Up," the 12" version of
Silver Convention's "
Get Up And Boogie," and the "
Roy Thode 12" version of
Poussez'
Come On And Do It, to give a few. It also has to be said, that any compilation that takes the care to track down the masters for both of
Sylvia Love's classics - "
Instant Love" and "
Extraterrestrial Lover" (also exclusive to this series) is definitely in my good books.
In addition to the musical selection, the sound quality across the volumes is also refreshingly consistent and of high quality. While it may not always be possible, the care taken in tracking down original master tapes for the overwhelming majority of selections is commendable, given the number of compilations (excellent ones too) out in the disco world that don't. Luring the listener with a classic while keeping things interesting with a series delicately timed surprises; as a listening experience, this series this is pretty much everything good compilations should be.
One of the best functions of the compilation album - which doesn't seem to be going away, in spite of the changes in music consumption (in fact, I'd probably argue the opposite), is as one of the primary gateways into new avenues of music. As far as I'm concerned, while there's a lot here those for those well acquainted with disco and looking something new; for those who aren't, it's a perfect place to start.
The first volume,
Classic Disco was already released
September 7th, with
Disco Ladies scheduled for release on
September 28th, followed by
Euro Disco on
October 5th and
Gay Disco & Hi NRG on
October 19th via
Harmless/Demon. All include liner notes by
Alan Jones, co-author (with
Jussi Kantonen) of "
Saturday Night Forever: The Story of Disco" (read the essay from the
Classic Disco volume
here).
In the meantime, for those who would like a preview,
Horse Meat Disco's
Luke Howard has put together an excellent 30 minute Disco Discharge mix, featuring tracks from the series. Enjoy.
Listen: Luke Howard - Disco Discharge Mix |
LINK TWOLuke Howard - Disco Discharge/Soulful Disco Mix (tracklist):
1. Idris Muhammad - Could Heaven Ever Be Like This
2. Glitter Band - Makes You Blind
3. Grey And Hanks - Dancin'
4. Lucy Hawkins - Gotta Get Out Of Here
5. Esther Phillps - What A Difference A Day Makes
VA - Disco Discharge. Classic Disco (2009, Harmless)
buy/pre-order @ play.co.uk | juno | phonica |amazon.com | amazon.co.uk | dustygroove.comVA - Disco Discharge. Disco Ladies (2009, Harmless)
buy/pre-order @ play.co.uk | amazon.com | amazon.co.uk | dustygroove.comVA - Disco Discharge. Euro Disco (2009, Harmless)
buy/pre-order @ play.co.uk | amazon.co.uk | dustygroove.comVA - Disco Discharge. Gay Disco & Hi NRG (2009, Harmless)
buy/pre-order @ play.co.uk | amazon.co.uk | dustygroove.comRecent & Future Reissues:
Aquarian Dream - Fantasy (1978, Elektra / 2009, Warner Music Japan)
buy/pre-order @ hmv.co.jp | CDBANQ | dustygroove.comThis is one I'm personally very excited for. An
Aquarian Dream album on CD - almost thought it wouldn't happen. While
their first LP was reissued on CD in the 90s (now out of print, of course), this is probably their finest. For those who haven't heard, "
You're A Star" is pure epic pleasure and as far as the rest of it's concerned, when it is produced by the great
Norman Connors and reissued by the Japanese, you just can't go wrong.
Note: both of their
Elektra albums (
this and 1979's "
Chance To Dance") are available digitally (in the legit sense), so consider this one for those who still value the physical. (
To be released October 14, 2009)
ALL MUSIC GUIDE: AQUARIAN DREAM - FANTASY (REVIEW)
Gregg Diamond Bionic Boogie - Hot Butterfly(1978, Polydor / 2009, Funky Town Grooves)
buy/pre-order @ funky town grooves | dustygroove.comAn exciting release from
Funky Town Grooves label. While this album had been
reissued on CD in 2005 by the
P-Vine label in Japan, the people at FTG (with the help of some
discomusic.com forum members) tracked down five extra bonus tracks - 12" mixes of the title track, "
Fess Up To The Boogie," "
Cream (Always Rises To The Top), and two different 12" mixes of "
Chains." A top shelf
Gregg Diamond production, with
Luther Vandross on vocals (along with
Cissy Houston in the background), this is one of my favourites and one I'm personally looking forward to. FTG haven't listed a specific release date, but have posted an info page on their website. (
Scheduled for release in October/November 2009)
Pattie Brooks - Love Shook/Our Ms. Brooks(1977, 1978, Casablanca / 2009, Funky Town Grooves)
buy/pre-order @ funky town groovesWhile the combination of Pattie's voice and
Simon Soussan's production can be a little oversweetened for my liking at times, it's nice to see more
Casablanca disco releases make it to CD (especially in times like this). One of the main people behind the
Funky Town Grooves label
confirmed on the discomusic.com forums that this reissue will be taken from the master tapes, so it certainly looks promising. (
To be released September 28, 2009)
Jackie Moore - I'm On My Way/With Your Love (1979, 1980, Columbia / 2009, Expansion)
buy @ soul music store | amazon.com | amazon.co.uk | dustygroove.comThese two classic disco albums, produced by
Bobby Eli (and backed by the whole Philly studio gang) are finally making it to digital. The former, "
I'm On My Way" is especially overdue, including her two big disco killers "
This Time Baby" and "
How's Your Love Life Baby," which are essentials on anyone disco selections, as far as I'm concerned.
Note: Haven't heard it for myself yet, but an
early review on Amazon.com says this was mastered from vinyl. Be warned. (
Released September 8, 2009)
Gray & Hanks - You Fooled Me/Prime Time (1978, 1981, RCA / 2009, Expansion)
buy @ soul music store | amazon.com | amazon.co.uk | dustygroove.comThe two albums
Zane Gray and Len Ron Hanks did for
RCA are also here, both in their entirety. Brought to you by the same folks who did the Jackie Moore reissue (above), the former "
You Fooled Me," which includes their disco hit "
Dancin'" (as included on the
Disco Discharge Classic Disco set) was
reissued on CD in Japan last year, but with this much more accessible release and with both albums included, this might be better way to go if you want it on CD (unless, of course, this is mastered from vinyl as well). (
Released September 8, 2009)
George & Gwen McCrae - Together(1975, Cat/TK / 2009, Shout!/Cherry Red)
buy @ cduniverse.com | amazon.com | amazon.co.uk | dustygroove.comPerhaps more on the soul/R&B side of things, produced by
Clarence Reid (AKA
Blowfly) and
Steve Alaimo, this is a great mellow grooving classic, I had to include this here. As far as soulful female voices go, I can never get enough of
Gwen McCrae and this one fits in well with her material at the time (which was also produced mostly by Reid & Alaimo). This reissue includes six bonus tracks, all
George McCrae solos, who, compared to his former wife, has been generally less represented in the world of reissues. (
Released August 25, 2009)
Sylvester and The Hot Band - The Blue Thumb Collection(2009, Hip-O Select/Universal)
buy @ hip-o select | amazon.com | amazon.co.uk | dustygroove.comSo perhaps not disco at all, but still a major release from a disco-historical perspective. Hip-O/Universal have at last gone out and filled one of the outstanding gaps in
Sylvester's catalogue by making his first two albums, "
Sylvester & The Hot Band" (AKA "
Scratch My Flower") and "
Bazaar" (along with a couple of rare bonuses) available on CD. An intriguing pair of records - heavy on covers, both albums are a departure from the disco he would later record on the
Fantasy and
Megatone labels during the height of his career. Crossing between folk, funk, rock and soul, it however fit right in with the eclecticism that the
Blue Thumb label was known for. A must-have for Sylvester fans. (Note: for those wondering about the scratch-and-sniff flower on the original debut LP, Hip-O select have included one in air freshner form, in lieu of its omission on the cover. I believe this is exclusive to orders from their website though.) (
Released June 12, 2009)
SOUL & JAZZ & FUNK: SYLVESTER & THE HOT BAND - THE BLUE THUMB COLLECTION (REVIEW)
Candi Staton - Chance (1979, Warner Bros. / 2009, Wounded Bird)
buy @ cduniverse.com | amazon.com | amazon.co.uk | dustygroove.comThis was released a while back, but I had to put this here as this is a favourite of mine. Prior to the release of this I'd bought a sealed copy of the vinyl album to keep 'on ice,' so to speak. Had I known about this, I probably wouldn't have done that, but anyway, produced by Candi and noted disco mixer
Jimmy Simpson, this album includes the hit "
When You Wake Up Tomorrow" and the underrated title track. Soulful disco fans, take heed. (
Released June 9, 2009)
Belle Epoque - Miss Broadway(1977, Big Tree / 2009, Wounded Bird)
buy @ cduniverse.com | amazon.com | amazon.co.uk | dustygroove.comAnother one released in June, and one that I never expected either.
Wounded Bird continue to mine the depths of the
WEA archives for these things, and I couldn't be happier. Timely too, as I've been listening to
Glass Candy version of the title track recently, but nothing tops the original. (
Released June 9, 2009)
List updated September 21, 2009PREVIOUS RELATED ENTRIES:
MILLION DOLLAR ORCHESTRA, ASHFORD & SIMPSON AND OTHER NEW/UPCOMING DISCO RELEASES (SATURDAY JANUARY 19, 2008)
UPCOMING SISTER SLEDGE REISSUES (FRIDAY AUGUST 10, 2007)
HAVE A COCKTAIL.. UPCOMING DISCO COMPILATIONS (JUNE 2007) (THURSDAY MAY 24, 2007)
NEW CERRONE REISSUES (THURSDAY OCTOBER 12, 2006)
DISCO REISSUES UPDATE (MARCH 17TH - APRIL 12TH) (THURSDAY MARCH 16, 2006)
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CATEGORIES: REISSUES & RELEASES, DISCO NEWS
However, with the great production and the admittedly out-of-context naughtiness one can't help but read into it today, I personally can't get enough of it. With this track and practically the entire album produced and co-written by Motown veteran Brian Holland alongside brother Eddie Holland and their main writing partner at this time, Harold Beatty (essentially Lamont Dozier's replacement), this is just one of the many excellent, underrated productions that the Holland Brothers were involved with at the time. While there's no topping the legacy of Holland-Dozier-Holland as pop songwriters, Eddie Holland's bright, funk-bottomed, disco flavoured productions in the late 70's for acts like The Supremes (covered on here before), The Jackson 5, Eloise Laws and others like the short-lived group, New York Port Authority are top quality, in my opinion..
