Rating:
Genre:
R&B
Release Date: 02/28/2006
In the '70s, Philadelphia's most famous
soul empire was
Kenny Gamble and
Leon Huff's
Philadelphia International Records, home of
the O'Jays,
the Intruders,
Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes,
the Three Degrees, and
Billy Paul. But the
Thom Bell/
Linda Creed school of
Philly soul was also huge thanks to heavyweights like
the Stylistics and
the Delfonics. When
Blue Magic hit big in 1974, their smooth, polished sound owed a lot to the
Bell/
Creed school; this incredibly promising debut album finds the Philly vocal group wearing their
Stylistics/
Delfonics/
Moments heritage like a badge of honor. But the LP also demonstrates that
Blue Magic was a fine group in their own right. The single that put
Blue Magic on the map was
"Sideshow," a hit
ballad that is as clever as it is melancholy.
"Sideshow" describes a circus, but not an ordinary circus -- a circus in which all of the attractions are noteworthy because of their terrible luck when it comes to romantic relationships. The tune is simply brilliant; like so many great
blues and
country gems,
"Sideshow" finds a very witty way to talk about romantic disappointments. But even though
"Sideshow" is one of
Philly soul's all-time classics, it isn't the only song that makes this LP worth owning. The rest of the album is also superb, and that includes the snappy
"Look Me Up," as well as dreamy, gossamer
ballads like
"Spell" and
"What's Come Over Me" (which
Blue Magic revisited on a 1975 remake that features singer
Margie Joseph). All of the albums that
Blue Magic recorded in the '70s are worth hearing, but this 1974 debut is arguably the finest and most essential of the bunch.
~Alex Henderson, All Music Guide
;)
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