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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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