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COLLECTORS CHOICE (www.ccmusic.com)
FIFTH DIMENSION/Up, Up & Away-Magic Garden (778); Stoned Soul Picnic-Age of Aquarius (779); Portrait-Love’s Lines, Angles and Rhymes (782); Live (781); Individually & Collectively-Living Together Growing Together (782); Soul & Inspiration (783): Not exactly the riddle of the ages but one of the musical mysteries of the last ten years is why the Fifth Dimension catalog has gotten so little respect. Except for a nice imported greatest hits in 1997, there has been no life among these bytes. As they are wont to do with their artist retrospective collections, Collectors Choice has remedied this problem, complete with bonus tracks. The bulk of the 5D discography has been reissued here, with many being on cd for the first time. This is one heft hand of hits. One of the few pop acts at the time that wasn’t the Beatles that didn’t rely heavily on Bacharach/David for hits (they did do a few), they were pretty radical for their time in that they crossed over without raising any eyebrows. Solid performers that could mix hippie sensibilities with the ability to play Vegas without seeming jive, they really had it going on. Really, who did they piss off to have this long lasting disrespect? Easily some of the era’s greatest sunshine pop, there’s no reason to have to pick and choose one set over the other. All had a nice share of hits and all were complete statements that weren’t burdened with filler. With talent like young and hungry Laura Nyro, Jimmy Webb and others powering the proceedings, is there any way you think you could go wrong?
MARILYN McCOO & BILLY DAVIS JR/I Hope We Get to Love in Time: After Fifth Dimension stopped flying up, up and away, this duo paired off from the group for a top 40 hit and a summer tv show. The changing nature of everything seemed to at once render this duo stopped in their tracks and the pop wheel rolled on. Just the same, it was a nice continuation of the vibe with a Detroit feel as the disco juggernaut began rolling over everything.
784
JAZZ PROMO SERVICES
SACO YASUMA/Another Rain: Avant garde lady sax player can play like she’s one of the big boys, and we mean that in a good way. Very reminiscent of the 60’s free jazz dates that sounded like some cats really hitting a groove in a basement studio, Yasuma has really honed her chops well. This is easily a must hear for free jazz fans that know there’s been a lack of blowing like this for a long time.
208 (Leaf Note)
ELIN/Lazy Afternoon: Notable because there hasn’t been anything like it for a while. Elin knows her way around the cabaret/chanteusse vibe like a pro and has the classic songs well in hand to prove it. With just the right jazzy vibe percolating throughout, Elin is a great find for the adult listener that wants that special mood setting set that can always be trusted. Everything here is simply right on the money and adult ears looking for something a little more meaty than the typical Starbucks offering is well advised to check this out. It’s easily that something special with that something extra.
70118052 (Blue Toucan)
Volume 30/Number 176
April 25, 2007
MIDWEST RECORD
830 W. Route 22 #144
Lake Zurich, IL., 60047
CHRIS SPECTOR, Editor and Publisher
(c)2007 Midwest Record
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