According to conventional wisdom, soul artists who didn't jump on the disco bandwagon couldn't get arrested in the late '70s. The problem with this theory is that many soulsters who really weren't very disco-minded (everyone from
Cameo to
the Isley Bros. to
Maze & Frankie Beverly) had no problem going gold at the time. And let's not forget
LTD, a monster of a soul band that was highly visible on Black radio from 1976 to about 1981. This CD illustrates what a jewel of a singer
LTD had in Jeffrey Osborne, who sounds as comfortable on gutbucket, down-and-dirty funk like "Back In Love Again," "We Party Hearty" and "Jam" as he does on the gospel-drenched ballads "Where Did We Go Wrong," "Love Ballad" and "Share My Love."
Classics also reminds us that while Osborne's departure was a tremendous loss for
LTD, the band still delivered some five-star material after his departure -- including the sweaty "Kickin' Back" and the poignant "April Love." ~ Alex Henderson