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Shalamar - The Look - The Sound of Los Angeles Records

Continuing the Sactuary anthology with 'The Look' and 'Heartbreak' albums, from 1983 to 1985, complete with additional mixes and edits and live versions.

'The Look' album starts in earnest on the second track really, 'Dead Giveaway', with the Leon Sylvers written track, his take on the Sound of Los Angeles, but straight commercial really. The album whilst being commercially OK was not as big as the previous one and it was issued at a time when the band had pretty much finished. The sleeve notes and interview with Jeffrey and Howard makes interesting reading.

The non single cuts here are not as good as the comparable tracks on the previous albums, but the commercial 'singles' are pretty much up to the standard set previously, the Jody led 'Disappearing Act' and particularly 'Over and Over', though 'No limits' is pretty standard fare. 'You won't miss love' is OK and the title 'The Look' is also well known and popular.

Additional cuts include additional mixes of Disappearing Act and Over and Over, one of those awful Disco mix medlay of hits and live versions of I owe you one and Right in the Socket

'Heartbreak' is Shalamar Part 2, minus Jeffrey and Jody, Howard with Micki Free and Delisa Davis. This album includes a couple of hits that we're helped because of the films they were featured in 'Don't get stopped in Beverly Hills' (Beverly Hills Cop) and 'Dancing in the sheets' (Footloose).

The hits, of course, continued with this line up with 'Amnesia' (with the awful rock guitar) and 'My girl loves me'. 'Heartbreak' I imagine was also a single release but not sure - it is as good as the ones that were released as such. The album filler cuts are not up to much.

Again a number of added takes and live tracks to conclude.

A good album to complete the historical perspective but falling short of the previous albums in terms of quality.

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