Greg Perry - Smokin' - 1977 - RCA

If you love Ben. E. King's "Let Me Live In Your Life" album then you will automatically love this album. The set was chiefly best known for the wonderful "How's Your Love Life Baby", quickly covered by Eddie Kendricks on his "Vintage '78" album a year later. I love both versions of the song, and both are worth owning. I really like this album, and prefer it to his earlier album, "One For The Road". I wish Soul Brother or Expansion would release this gem as I am sure the demand is there for it. For lovers of a funky beat with plenty of horns then "Where's There's Smoke (There's Fire)" would be an obvious choice, and "(I Can See The) Handwriting On The Wall" has Greg sounding very much like his brother, Jeff Perry. This is a really great track with a great chorus, but that said they pale in comparison to the KILLER tracks I'm about to shed light on.

"I'll Always Be In Love With You" will knock you for six. Trust me - play the sound sample below and listen to the whole darn track. Seventies soul rarely comes stronger than this morsel, and Perry really has a ball on this midtempo effort. There is a brilliant spaced out funky synth break over which Greg vocalises alongside a flute. Oh yes!!!!! This is what makes our music so wonderful! Let's get moving and get this on CD ASAP! Skipping a track we arrive at the soaring "Come Fly With Me"...don't let this one escape you. It's a real dream of a track and when it segues into "Let's Get Away From It All" with THAT spacey synth again and a very sexy femme adding he moans and groans you are in for a real treat! The cantering beat and flute swirl with keyboard effects is a sensual, soulful vibe. I always reserve songs like these for chilling out at the beach on a hot summer's day. The perfect setting for such music. I also think that if you love Marvin Gaye's "I Want You" set then these tracks will definitely appeal. OK, this is not a dirt cheap album but where tracks like this are concerned it is only money!

Barry Towler
The Vibe Scribe

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