Rose Royce - Strikes Again (1978) (LP) - €10,00

Strikes Again is the third album released by the Funk band Rose Royce on the Whitfield label in August 1978. It was produced by Norman Whitfield.

Rose Royce‘s third album contains two killer ballads: “I’m in Love (And I Love the Feeling),” and the much recorded “Love Don’t Live Here Anymore” which Gwen Dickey works like Mary J. Blige wishes she could. Norman Whitfield‘s productions often included doses of classical elements and this album is no exception, the sampling and borrowing occur frequently. “Angel in Disguise,” another sweet ballad, sounds a bit contrived.

As an American Soul and R&B group, Rose Royce had come a long way since their debut album Car Wash (1976). 

Rose Royce II: In Full Bloom (1977) was their follow up album and established them as an incredibly sharp outfit. As with Car Wash, Norman Whitfield again served as producer and was proving to be something of a harmonious relationship. In late 1977 Rose Royce entered the Fort Knox Recording Studios in LA to begin work on their third studio album, Strikes Again (1978). 

Norman Whitfield again served as producer and arranger and in addition, the new album would also benefit from some fine orchestral direction laid down by legendary composer and arranger Gene Page.

Rose Royce Strikes Again, became the first of the groups albums that I purchased in 1979. I remember first buying the single ‘Love don’t live here anymore’ around September 1978, and turned out to be something of a rarity with the A side label pasted on both sides of that precious piece of 7” vinyl. In fact, ‘Love don’t live here anymore’ turned out to be a huge hit in the UK eventually peaking at the #2 position in the singles chart. 

It was (no doubt) on the strength of that single which prompted me to invest in the album - and it certainly didn’t disappoint. Strikes Again really illustrates what a diverse and classy act Rose Royce was, and many might even argue that (as a group) they hit their creative best with this third album. 

It remains a mystery then why the group’s second single, the mid-tempo groove ‘I’m in love (and I love the feeling)’ only managed to peak at #51 in the UK chart? Thankfully, the single faired far better in the US where it reached #5 on the R&B chart.

Strikes Again provides some fantastic examples of the group at their funky best, ‘Do it, do it’ is a continuous rhythmic ride of slapping bass guitar, and stinging brass - an enduring slice of funk that still packs a punch almost 40 years on. 

‘First come, first served’ is another funk laced floor filler, which (like ‘Do it, do it’) was also penned by Norman Whitfield. However, whilst these dance tracks still hold up well today, there is simply no getting away from the fact that this album’s strength remains in its soulful ballads. 

Gwen Dickey’s (aka Rose Norwalt) exquisite vocals dominate these memorable, romantic tracks and remain etched in the memory. 

For me, the album winner has always been ‘Angel in the Sky’, a soulful sublime track that showcases Dickey’s velvet vocals to the max. Interestingly enough, ‘Angel in the Sky’ was set to be the third single release in the UK but for some mysterious reason it was cancelled. 

One can only assume that the label’s confidence took a knock on the back of the poor chart position of ‘I’m in love (and I love the feeling)’.

The album peaked at number four on the Billboard R&B albums chart and number 28 on the Billboard Top LPs chart. It yielded two Billboard R&B top ten singles, "I'm in Love (And I Love the Feeling)" and "Love Don't Live Here Anymore". 

"Love Don't Live Here Anymore" was also successful on the UK Singles Chart, reaching number two, their highest charting single in the UK. A third single, "First Come, First Serve", peaked at number 65 on the Billboard R&B Singles chart.

Side one

1.  Get Up Off Your Fat - 4:35

2.  Do It, Do It - 4:09

3.  I’m In Love (And I Love The Feeling) - 3:41

4.  First Come, First Serve - 3:19

5.  Love Don’t Live Here Anymore - 3:55

Side two

1.  Angel In The Sky - 4:56

2.  Help - 3:53

3.  Let Me Be The First To Know - 3:52

4.  That’s What’s Wrong With Me - 6:37

Rose Royce

• Gwen Dickey – lead vocals
• Kenny Copeland – trumpet, lead vocals
• Kenji Brown – guitar, lead vocals
• Lequeint "Duke" Jobe – bass, vocals
• Michael Nash – keyboards
• Henry Garner – drums, vocals
• Freddie Dunn – trumpet
• Michael Moore – saxophone
• Terry Santiel – congas

Additional musicians

• Victor Nyx, Mark Davis – keyboards
• Melvin "Wah Wah" Watson, Cornelius Grant – guitar
• Jimmy Valdez – drums
• Walter Downing – organ
• Mark Kenoly – bass
• Jack Ashford – percussion

Production

• Norman Whitfield: arrangements, production and mastering
• Leanard Jackson: recording and mastering engineer
• Steve Smith: recording engineer
• Gene Page: orchestral direction
• Eleven Twenty-Four Design: art direction, design
• Andy Engel: lettering
• Bobby Holland, Jeffrey Mayer: photography
• Pamela Clare: cover illustration
• Bill Whitfield: album coordinator

Notes

Release:  1978

Format:  LP, Vinyl

Genre:  Funk / Soul

Label:  Warner Bros. Records

Catalog#  WB 56527

Vinyl:  Goed (VG)

Cover:  Goed (VG) Gatefold

Prijs: €10,00