Original Album Series

Wasn't a big fan of Sister Sledge first time around especially with some of there commercial tracks. But one day I was browsing the internet You tube & played some of there music & couldn't believe it I loved it, it sound much more appealing & serious so I searched amazon & found this bargain package, it has a range of there music in this box set from very old to newish. Not all the tracks I like but for the price this is a real bargain even though the cds doesn't come in a plastic case.

Great set of albums at a good price. All full album tracks on each.

Sister Sledge are one of those groups whose entire career is defined by a couple of songs. For most that's quite enough but a recording career that lasted over a decade this collection shows that on 5 their earliest 5 albums there was quite a lot more to them than just the hits. The first album "Circle Of Love" made quite an impact, especially in the UK where the single "Love Don't Go Through No Changes On Me" was a cult club classic. Recorded in 1975 it's very much of its time and filled with kind of songs which took Soul music on the route to disco. This is a very soulful album and there's plenty to enjoy here and it's probably one of the main attractions of the box set. "Protect Our Love" sounds like a speeded up "Love Don't..." as does the title track. The album has a hint of popular Philly International & Salsoul labels (which were the sounds of the time) "Pain Reliever" sounding like something the Salsoul Orchestra could have turned out, it's a worthwhile record. Considering this has been impossible to find on CD previously it's good to discover its qualities. The second offering came 2 years later and could be seen as indicative of the problems Atlantic (associated mainly with soul music) was having adjusting to disco. The writers here include the writer of hits for Silver Convention but the results are, at best, a little lacklustre. Opener "Blockbuster Boy" is pleasant enough piece of disco and "Your My Favourite Song" follows a similar vein later on the album but they don't sound anything special. The rest of the album is a mixture of funk (which really doesn't suit their voices at all) two Stevie Wonder covers neither of which work, and some pleasantly forgettable ballads. The cover of "Sneakin' Through The Alley With Sally" and the very pleasant mid-tempo "Can't Mess Around With Love" are all that come anywhere near essential listening. The stylistic changes strike of a management unsure what to do with this act and it's probably this, as much as anything which has relegated this to obscurity. Not long after its release, Atlantic found their commercial footing again thanks to Nile Rogers and Bernard Edwards' Chic. The pair were instantly successful and seemed to hit a creative goldmine with the slickest production and rhythms that possibly came out of disco. They were top of the pile and offered the chance to produce anyone on the label. Choosing Sister Sledge shocked excecutives at the time but proved the saving of the careers of the Sledge sisters. "We Are Family" is, to be fair, "C'est Chic" part two. Hit track "He's The Greatest Dancer" was even originally slated as a Chic track. Its a perfect record both sonically, musically and rhythmically and includes a number of the best things Rogers & Edwards ever wrote. Aside from the hit singles there's a couple of high quality ballads, "Easier To Love" being a highlight, and "One More Time" which is another fine example of their brillant songwriting. As for the sisters, they are more passengers and vessles for most of the songs - although the title track could only have been done by them - which was a fact they themselves used to change their next album. That said, this is an essential purchase although not exactly a reason to buy this set. "To Love Somebody" followed quickly and, although produced by Chic again, has a different feel altogether. Disco was waning, and Edwards & Rogers seem keen to move their sound somewhere away from their hit formula. Although it was not comercially successful, this album does have more variety than it titanically popular predecessor. At the request of the group, all the vocals on this album are by the sisters themselves. It gives the record a more distinct sound than the Chic albums (and shows up how its predecssor does sound like a Chic record). The effect produces something more soulful, particularly on the latter sequence of tracks. "Easy Street", "Pretty Baby", and "Let's Go On Vaction" show off the talents of the group whilst "Reach Your Peak" is an early example of the more Jamacian influence Nile Rogers would also bring to latter productions. The other tracks would have fitted comfortably on the previous album. Two nice ballads, the title track (a minor pop hit) and the gorgeous "You Fooled Around" which is the album's highlight. It's fair to say that it's a pretty good follow up with plenty to enjoy and marked a move forward for the band. Next album "All American Girls" teamed them with then hot producer Narada Michael Walden who manages a good job at gently moving their sound into the 80's. Another decent album with more to it than the singles (which although not hits) sound reassuringly familiar. Interestingly only one song, "Music Makes You Feel Good" sounds straight out of the Walden songbook whilst the rest shift them gently from the Chic formula. Throughout the album Nile Roger's guitar seems to be haunting the tracks, a cursory listen to "You Caught My Heart" or the tile track, are shaded by the shadows of their predecessors. Yet this album marks a clear break with disco, "He's Just A Runaway" is very 80's with a more R'n'B feel which would dominate the decade. It's a pleasant album and there's a lot here to enjoy, but it isn't as essential as the previous two. A set like this is designed for those who want to explore further than the hits, or complete a collection outside of "We Are Family". The harder to find albums offer mixed rewards. "Circle Of Love" is most welcome and a very fine soul album whilst the other "Together" is a disappointing mixed bag which misfires too often. The later albums offer quite a lot - especially "To Love Somebody". For the casual listener a hits album is a much better bet, but for anyone who wants something more extensive, there's a lot more to the band than a set of classic hits. Despite some imperfections, there's some really substantial pleasures to be found in this collection.

To help you make up your mind to buy this set the photo on Amazon is a bit too small to read the track listings so I've done it fo you. Still an amazingly cheap set with the neat cardboard sleeves which I actally like. For the price of one CD you get 5, If you spot any mistakes just add a comment and I will rectify it Toot Sweet (and yes I know it's not spelled that way!!) Track listing 1. Circle of Love (Caught in the Middle) 2. Cross My Heart 3. Protect Our Love 4. Give In to Love 5. Love Don't You Go Through No Changes on Me 6. Don't You Miss Him Now 7. Pain Reliever 8. You're Much Better Off Loving Me 9. Fireman 1. Blockbuster Boy 2. Do the Funky Do 3. I Was Made to Love Her (Him) 4. Hold On to This Feeling 5. As 6. Sneaking Sally Through the Alley 7. Funky Family 8. Baby, It's the Rain 9. Can't Mess Around with Love 10. My Favourite Song 11. Hands Full of Nothing 12. Moondancer 1. He's the Greatest Dancer 2. Lost in Music 3. Somebody Loves Me 4. Thinking Of You 5. We Are Family 6. Easier To Love 7. You're a Friend To Me 8. One More Time 1. Got to Love Somebody 2. You Fooled Around 3. I'm a Good Girl 4. Easy Street 5. Reach Your Peak 6. Pretty Baby 7. How to Love 8. Let's Go on Vacation 1. All American Girls 2. He's Just a Runaway 3. If You Really Want Me 4. Next Time You'll Know 5. Happy Feeling 6. Ooh, You Caught My Heart 7. Make a Move 8. Don't You Let Me Lose It 9. Music Makes Me Feel Good 10. I Don't Want to Say Goodbye

This is such a good, buy at at a bargain price. I already have a best of Sister Sledge album so never really expected to be buying any of their original albums. However this collection of five original albums came along at such a good price that I could not resist it. Whilst 'We Are Family' is far and away their finest album, the other four in this collection are no duffers. The Nile Rogers produced follow up album 'Love Somebody Today' is a geat album that should not have been ignored and Narada Michael Waldens 'All American Girls' should have been a big hit too. They really were very talented singers and working with top producers of the day came up with the goods time and time again. Many of the album versions of the big hit singles are also much longer than the single releases so even if,like me, you have the big hits elsewhere there is something new for you here too.

Good to have these classic albums added to my collection. The only downside here is the lack of bonus tracks (being available, as I already have one of those albums with some extras) Let's hope music companies will continue releasing these good R&B and Soul music from the 70s. Sister sledge are one of the most successful female groups ever and these albums were produced in part by Nile Rogers(CHIC, Madonna, Duran Duran, B-52's, etc) and Narada Michael Walden (Stacy Lattisaw, Aretha, Whitney and many more) Both producers are brilliant minds and creators, they both were the minds behind anthems such as: Upside Down, Spacer, Let's dance, Wild Boys, We are family, I knew you were waiting for me, Freeway of Love, I shoulda Loved Ya, Tinight I'm Alright and many more. A must for Funky music lovers.

Can't fault the music, but the sound varies from poor to over-cooked; no attempt has been made to correct drop-outs, or make it sound as good as it could be. Great shame, but I suppose this is a budget product.

Good 70’s soul - timeless