Now Is the Time / Close Company

Two Early 80's R&B albums from "The Voice" for the first time on CD courtesy of Expansion Records and its taste for delicious music!I'm particularly drawn to "Close Company." The first time I heard All Time Lover was on a college R&B radio station in Boston (where I grew up) and knew exactly who was singin'. I liked it even more because he was tryin' out the syth style of that era and though it wasn't hit-worthy, I still applaud him to this day for even GOIN' there! Much like Johnny Mathis with The Chic Organization, Lou Rawls was singin' a diff'rent tune, but no one was feelin' it because it strayed too far from his core style. Aside of All Time Lover, both of these gems of albums are filled with their share of lush, R&B a la Philly! Even on Epic/CBS, he still maintained his "sound."

This time Lou Rawls stepped up his game and talents when this album was created, Coudous to the song writers and producer

I'm a big Lou Rawls fan so there's no such thing as a bad Lou Rawls cd!

From 1982-87, the late great Lou Rawls was signed to Epic Records and he recorded several superb but very poorly promoted LPs which came and went virtually unnoticed. The two albums reissued on this CD are from 1982 and 1984 and feature productions from the likes of Thom Bell, James Mtume & Reggie Lucas, Dexter Wansel, Jack Faith and David Porter. Ultra-smooth, lushly-produced and elegantly arranged Quiet Storm ballads seemingly perfect for Mr. Rawls are the hallmark of both albums and these sets are almost as good as his Philadelphia International albums. The only two tracks worth skipping are the inappropriate Disco numbers "All-Time Lover" and "Watch Your Back"--which are totally out of place here. Barring the two above-mentioned tracks, these two albums are filled with soul-soothing, romantic music at its best from one of the 20th century's classiest male vocalists. Enjoy!

Many thanks to Expansion Records for re-releasing two of Lou's Epic LP's on CD. I surely hope the remaining two LP's "When The Night Comes" & "Love All Your Blues Away" will follow on CD. It's amazing how TOP NOTCH recordings are ignored by SONY MUSIC........