By the time this album appeared in 1977,
Brenda & the Tabulations had been around for about a decade, tabulating numerous chart entries without ever truly breaking into the realm of established stardom. Like so many soul stars and not-so-successful veteran soul acts, they went into disco-influenced production after the '70s passed their midpoint, with Norman Harris and Bobby Eli of the famed Sigma Sound Studio sharing producer credits on this LP. Most records by such acts don't compare well to their more classically soul-oriented efforts, and while this one is no exception, it is better than average as such things go. Brenda Payton sings with far more fire than the average disco record vocalist on the opener "Superstar," which truly sounds superior to (and even more commercial than) many disco hits. Nothing else on the record matches it, but the remaining half-dozen tracks aren't bad. Payton shows she can still handle a ballad on "Take It or Leave It" (co-written by
Evie Sands) and the lush "Home to Myself" (a small R&B hit). The title track and the suggestive "Let's Go All the Way (Down)" jack the beat back up to disco tempo with acceptably ebullient results. The 2010 reissue on Shout adds historical liner notes, though these are more a career summary than an essay about this record in particular. ~ Richie Unterberger