After a brief stint on
Curtis Mayfield's Curtom Records in 1975 which yielded the number one pop hit "Let's Do It Again,"
the Staple Singers entered into a deal with Warner Bros. Shortening their name to
the Staples,
Pops,
Mavis,
Cleotha, and
Yvonne decided to continue their relationship with
Mayfield, asking him to produce their first Warner effort, 1976's
Pass It On. While the album lacked a surefire hit like its predecessor, it continued to blend the group's signature gospel sound with soul, R&B, pop, and disco. Standout track "Sweeter Than the Sweet" is a classic uptempo gospel/soul rave-up featuring some of group's strongest vocals, and the title track features a deep, soulful groove courtesy of
Pops' and
Mayfield's dueling guitars and the impassioned vocal interplay between
Mavis and
Pops. While
the Staples would never again reach the upper echelons of the pop charts,
Pass It On is a solid release by a veteran group who could produce classic soul music like no one else. ~ Timothy Monger