Sylvester/Step 2

Sylvester's first 2 albums transferred from original analogue master tapes and sounding all the better for it. This single CD has an 8 page booklet with the original album credits and colour second design of Sylvester's first LP cover.Tracks 1-8 originally released as the Sylvester LP in 19771) Over And Over 7:022) I Tried To Forget It 5:013) Changes 3:084) Tipsong 4:005) Down, Down, Down 5:186) Loving Grows Up Slow 4:057) I Been Down 3:398) Never Too Late 2:57Tracks 9-15 are the Step II LP from 19789) You Make Me Feel (Mighty Real) 6:3610) Dance (Disco Heat) 5:5011) You Make Me Feel (Mighty Real) - Epilogue 3:2512) Grateful 3:3313) I Took My Strength From You 6:5714) Was It Something That I Said 4:1715) Just You And Me Forever 4:40

These were Sylvester's first two disco albums and date from the late 70s, which you can hear instantly in the sound. It has a softer edge than the 80s material, but was already intensely danceable. In fact nothing is better as pure disco, with his magical voice floating over the beat in the most ecstatic way, than numbers like You Make Me Feel (Mighty Real) and Dance (Disco Heat), both from the landmark Step ll album. Another plus on this double CD, which really lifts it into the stratosphere in all senses, is the presence of The Weather Girls, as they later became. Here they are listed simply as Martha Wash and Izora Rhodes. Such is the obvious brilliance of the girls that they get a number to themselves, I Been Down, and another where they dominate over an unusually deep-sounding, unrecognisable Sylvester, Was It Something That I Said. It is incredible the way he manages to get such tenderness into a song like I Tried To Forget You; the tenderness is there, but when you hear his voice take up the tune it cuts through to something essential, an infinite longing with a hint of the camp, and then in floats Martha, and it is as soulful as you can get.

Sylvester at his camp best. A real pioneer who shone bright blazing a rainbow coloured trail across the disco scene in the late 70s early 80s. What was considered totally outrageous back in 1978 looks all rather tame and "normal" in 2017. His biggest hits from the height of the disco era are included here. An excellent "2fer" at an excellent price. Sound quality is good.

Reading the other review I felt like saying a few words too. I agree with him completely. His style is quite unique and nostalgic, as you don't see things like that today anymore.Plus, there is a song in particular that was quite remarkable to me when I bought the LP back in the late 70's, and I hoped to find it on this CD. Luckily I did. It is a slow version of "You make me feel mighty real" that I suppose few people know, and it's brilliant! Sylvester really did make a difference. I'm glad I bought this CD. Thanks Amazon UK!

Sylvester created the most delectable, passionate disco and soul music, better than most of today's dance music. He had a wonderful falsetto voice that is carried along on the most infectious dance beats or wraps itself around the most smoldering ballads. In the late 1970s he was as popular as Donna Summer and ruled the dance charts. Over And Over and Never Too Late are superb, but the two immortal dance tracks here are of course the pulsating Dance (Disco Heat) and the soaring You Make Me Feel (Mighty Real). They are two of the most sublime dance tracks ever laid down: very melodic, hypnotic music with a gospel undertone.