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Fourth Instalment

Well talk about badger and goad, that Mike Ashley chappy is harsh taskmaster indeed. As if it's not taxing enough, finding the time to buy the records, then recording them onto CD, so that I can listen to them in the car, now I've got to write about them again so that you lot can listen to them as well. So here goes with the next batch with a more Seventies bias than the last couple of reviews and for me this is the most consistent batch so far with everyone a winner in my book.

• Wilson Williams - Groovy Feeling - ABC Well what can I say? This was a new one on me until a couple of weeks ago and it's a corker. Wilson delivers a faultless slab of mid tempo seventies soul heaven. This record is quite simply a monster in waiting with its smooth floating style beat and laid back vocal. It's just a shame that my copy is a one sided demo so there's no B-side.... If you do see this and have still not heard it just buy it you won't be disappointed.
• David Geddes - Wise up girl - Big Tree This uptempo Seventies dancer was a delight when I bought it blind a couple of weeks ago (so I thought I've actually had it on tape for a while and not realised what it was no wonder it sounded familiar!) This will definitely be getting a play when I next do a spot of DJ-ing. It wasn't expensive at all under a tenner but it has the lot really. I don't know if it was ever played out anywhere but it certainly has that Mecca/Cleethorpes feel to it. It kind of reminds of Alfie Davidson - Love is a serious business, it's in a similar groove.
• Bobby Hutton - Watch where you're going - ABC Another one from the ABC vaults, a great double sider this one with "Loving you, needing you" as the official A side "Watch" is the better of the two for me, although both are great. Watch where you're going has been picking up plays recently and rightly so. This is a classy mid tempo effort that has all that you would expect from Mr Hutton. A great vocal delivery and lush production complete with kitchen sink et al. I'm told this is quite hard to find on issue but I've got to say I picked it up easily enough, once I knew I needed it, a must.
• Sandy and the Pebbles - My Foolish little heart - Mercury Most of you will know the other side of this one "My kinda fellow" which is the more immediate dancer of the two for sure. The thing is that "My foolish little heart" is just one of those that creeps up on you. Almost two step meets sixties a beautiful record that just gets better the more I play it. Put the two sides together and you've got Crossover heaven from the group that went on to become Pat Sands and the Pebbles.
• Virgil Henry - I'll be true - Colossus Oh yes, now where do I start with this one, when I first got my copy through the post I was worried about the amount of surface scratches on it especially toward the end of the record, and it does pop and hiss a bit, but after playing it a few times I'd have it even if Torville and Dean had just done a show on it. This record is just great, again it's mid tempo (can you see a pattern here yet) and oh so soulful Virgil's falsetto puts me in mind of Little Anthony although a touch rawer in style. I have quite a few things on this label now none of them particularly expensive but not a bad one amongst them so far, and this with the IAP Co has got to be my favourite. Class.
• David Morris - Snap, Crackle and Pop - Plush This boy's a bit of a favourite of mine Mr Morris who incidentally was the David of A Brother's Guiding Light and ..fame it shows too. Sounding quite a bit earlier than "Getting together" and "Midnight Lady" this one comes with a far sparser arrangement, clear crisp vocal and haunting Hammond weaving in and out of the track. Mid tempo again with a good dance beat if you like the other records by him then you'll like this, I know I do.
• Moments - Rain in my backyard - Stang A great group the Moments, they seldom can do any wrong, and for me this is one of their finer moments (no pun intended.) A recent Radio spin for Ian Levine on Jazz fm, this record should be played out more often. It's not rare, it's not expensive, it's just a great record that floats along with that distinctive Moments falsetto group vocal interplay. Lovely.
• Eddie Horan - The ups and downs of a love affair - MGM Back to the out and out dancers with this one. Not quite as instant as the David Geddes track this is non-the less a cracking slice of seventies dance heaven. This really would go down well on any liberal minded dancefloor and quite a few that aren't so liberal as well I've no doubt. Still relatively cheap coming in under a tenner but if it takes off, as it should if there is any justice; it will not stay at that price for long.
• Willie Fisher - Put your lovin on me - Tigress An old favourite to finish off with and classic Modern Soul to boot. I have had this for years on a Goldmine CD but it's only since I've bought a "real one" that I've realised just how good this record truly is. Great vocal superb arrangement catchy chorus what more could you ask for, dripping in Soul and oozing class from every groove. Most of you will know it if you don't just go and buy it it's great, I love it, you won't be disappointed. Essential.

Reviews by John Nightingale for Life and Soul promotions 10/12/01 if you have any feedback or wish to know a bit more about the records reviewed contact me via e-mail at john.nightingale@wessexwater.co.uk