Album Results
Album Reviews
Kool & the Gang closed out the 1970s by edging the door shut on their classic sound. Ladies' Night marked the band's initial shift from their dirty funk to a more mainstream pop -- a lighter groove that primed clubbers for dance-'til-you-drop style partying. With the Brazilian fusion musician Eumir Deodato stepping into the production helm with a shared vision of "keep[ing] it simple and basic and clean," Kool & the Gang added a hot new spark to their sound, best illustrated across the title track, which topped the R&B charts for nearly a month. This ideal was also furthered on the downtempo soul of "Too Hot." The former was a jangly, spangly slab of pure dance that quickly became a club favorite, the latter a 180 degree shift that focused instead on vocalist James Taylor's rich timbre, a ballad of lost love where his vocals are smoother than even the sax solo. With the rest of the record falling into step behind these two giants, Ladies' Night kicked off Kool & the Gang's new musical era and, even though it certainly distanced some of their more funk-minded fans, it picked up a faithful army who'd keep the band in the charts for nearly a decade to come. ~ Amy Hanson, All Music Guide
Track Listing
| 1. Ladies Night |
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There You'll Be Faith Hill |
| Faith Hill is one of those country stars who enjoys massive popularity in America, with a career stretched over 16 years spawning 11 number ones, but have stuggled to expand it beyond her country's boundaries. "There you'll be", a wishy washy, epic ballad of the "memories of lost love" kind, was penned by the one and only Diane Warren and rejected by Celine Dion. Released in 2001 as the theme soundtrack from the movie "Pearl Harbour"; it reached number three in our charts and became Faith Hill's only UK top ten hit. And now, thanks to -yep, you guessed it- the ever growing power of television, is a surprise re-entry in our singles chart's top ten. Amy Connelly, one of this season's X factor contestants, chose it for a rendition that, apparently, brought jury Cheryl Cole to tears and triggered a downloading frenzy for the original among the popular show's viewers. Expect a greatest hits package released promptly, which could become one of this Christmas unexpected winners. | |
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