Like the other entries in the Bedroom Classics series, this focuses on the sexiest songs of a major soul act, though only from one section of
the Isley Brothers' lengthy career, spanning the mid-'70s to the early '90s. Smoochy stuff in R&B usually means pop- and ballad-oriented material, so in the case of
the Isley Brothers, you're only getting one side of a group who could also rock the funk and explore some other directions as well. If you're in the mood, though, this does adequately represent much of their romantic work from the era, including hits like "For the Love of You, Pts. 1 & 2," "Smooth Sailin' Tonight," "Sensitive Lover," "Groove with You," and "One of a Kind," although it's actually dominated by tracks that didn't appear on the hit parade. There's no "Between the Sheets," though, which is an obvious natural for a compilation like this. Like other such compilations, this tends toward the soppy urban contemporary mode, making "Whatever Turns You On," one of the best
Marvin Gaye soundalikes ever waxed, a real shot in the arm in this context; "It Takes a Good Woman" is rather in the same vein, though not as impressive. ~ Richie Unterberger