CASTLE MUSIC

The Whispers - Imagination/ This kind of lovin (SOLAR) - CMRCD528

This series of Whispers albums has really elevated them in my eyes. I knew them before, quite well I thought, from their early stuff right through. However I never really put them up with the A list, the Temptations, Four Tops, Dells, O'jays, Impressions etc but now I do!

These two albums take us into 1980 and 1981. Imagination containing the massive and ever wonderful 'It's a love thing'. 'Imagination' the title track was co written by Larry White of Collage (see review of their album elsewhere), illustrating that the collaboration worked both ways. Interestingly, as the ever excellent sleeve notes by Ralph Tee advise, the single was withdrawn in the States due to a 'dispute'. A pretty decent cut with all the right ingredients of the time.

The downbeat material as always excels and 'Say you (would love for me too)' is a wonderful sweet soul ballad. Perfect vocal arrangements and moody sax break. 'Continental Shuffle' I suppose is in the disco beat, but it is far more laid back than the big hit cuts. Nice groove on this, possibly even for today but with banal and dating lyrics I'm afraid it will go nowhere. 'I can make it better' is another uptempo groove perfectly illustrating the mellowing disco beat around this time.

'Girl I need you' is a dead slow heartfelt ballad again linked to Collage, strangely almost like a solo ballad than a group one. 'Fantasy' the closing track is another fine ballad with tinkly piano.

'Up on Soul Train', a Don Cornelius track, brings us back 'up' but though pleasant is contrived and pretty uninspiring.

The second album starts with the title track 'This kind of loving', kicks off where the last album left of in a mellowish disco groove.

Again following the theme of previous albums with the 'current' grooves and some killer slowies, 'World of a thousand dreams' brings it down but for me it's not in the same quality as their best.

'I'm the one for you' is simply awesome, a big cut in the UK, Gene Dozier song, wonderful vocals, changing grooves, 'in your head' hook, throbbing beat.

'I'm gonna love you more', driving beat, even faster than some of the 'disco' cuts on evidence, but no gimmicks here, just the beat, simple straightforward vocal arrangements and it works. Unlike the previous track 'Got to get away' that is far more contrived...and forgettable.

'Can't stop loving you baby' is another excellent track where simplicity wins again, mellow beat, great vocals (as always) with falsetto weaving in and out, memorable hook.

Closing with a trademark ballad 'What will I do' and something completely different a jazzy, brassy, showtimey 'The Bright lights and you girl'.

 As always a more than worthwhile addition to anyone's collection. But my advice is get the whole series for a compendium of great soul music.