Missionaria Protectiva

  AMANDA LEAR  Sweet Revenge  (Ariola,1978) - Euro disco       Amanda sings and speaks with such great finesse; and despite her French  accent, her English diction is spot on. Her music and lyrics are pure  indulgence ― an absolutely intoxicating and mesmerising mix of extravagant  and luxurious aural treats.       With the synth sequencing; this album is rather technologically advanced for  its time (compared to most of the productions done during this period in the U.K., Europe, Scandinavia, and the U.S.)       The late 1970s production methods and techniques are quite lush as well. TRACKLIST : Follow Me                        Gold                        Mother, Look What They've Done To Me                        Run Baby Run ...

  SISTER SLEDGE  We Are Family  (Cotillion,1979) - Disco/Soul       Recorded simultaneously with Chic's own C'est Chic album, We Are Family was written and produced by Rodgers and Edwards, who had recently scored big with Everybody Dance and Dance, Dance, Dance. They were offered the cream of Atlantic’s roster to work with. Icons such as The Rolling Stones and Aretha Franklin were rejected in favour of Philadelphia quartet Sister Sledge. By taking this relatively blank canvas, who’d already released a duo of underperforming albums, expectations were low.       Disco myth suggests that Sister Sledge’s records prior to this were simply not very good, but both had some great moments. If you listen to Funky Family from 1977’s Together, you hear the template for We Are Family. However, it sounds like a cola commercial as opposed to the gargantuan groove produced by Rodgers and Edwards.       With four classics (We Are Family, Lost I...

  SYREETA  One To One  (Motown,1977) - R&B,Soul       Assisted by a tight, all-star band and producer Leon Ware, One To One became the best album of Syreeta’s three-album career. While commercial success still eluded Syreeta, she proved not only was their life after Stevie Wonder. The three year break she’d enjoyed, had rejuvenated her career. One To One, was the finest album Syreeta had released and is indeed, a hidden gem in Motown’s back-catalogue.  TRACKLIST : One To One                         I Don't Know                         Rest Yourself                         I Too Am Waiting                         Tiki Tiki Donga                         Do...

  TOWER OF POWER  Back To Oakland  (WB, 1974) - Funk, Soul       Arguably the best and certainly the most commercially successful album from one of the greatest horn section bands. ‘Back to Oakland’ featured blistering horn section writing and awesome soloing by a young Lenny Pickett who went on to lead the Saturday Night Live band for 20 years. TRACKLIST : Oakland Stroke...                        Don't Change Horses (In The Middle Of A Stream)                        Just When We Start Makin' It                        Can't You See (You Doin' Me Wrong)                        Squib Cakes                        Time Will Tell          ...

        Carla Thomas – daughter of Memphis disc jockey and singer  Rufus Thomas  – was only 10 years old when she started out with the Teen Town Singers (a chorus drawn from the black high schools around Memphis) and just 15 when the self-penned  Gee Whiz (Look At His Eyes)  sold a million copies in 1960 and became her signature song.       She was one of the first artists to record for  Stax , the label that came to define the Memphis sound.       With Stax-mate  Otis Redding  she worked up  Tramp  – in which the pair carried on a memorable mock quarrel – during an impromptu Christmastime session in 1966. In 1967 she toured the UK with  Redding ,  Sam & Dave ,  Eddie Floyd ,  Arthur Conley  and  Booker T  as part of the legendary ‘Hit The Road’  Stax  package tour.       Carla spent most of the 1970s in Los Angeles, pursui...

  JUICE NEWTON  Quiet Lies  (Capitol,1982) - Country rock        This album assured Newton three country hits (the first three tracks) as she found her way back to the country-rock sound she seems to do best. Her choice of covers works better this time as well. Her  Brenda Lee  ( Break It To Me Gently )  netted her a hit, and her  Gene Pitney  ( I'm Gonna Be Strong )  cover wasn't bad either. TRACKLIST : Heart Of The Night                        Love's Been A Little Bit Hard On Me                        Break It To Me Gently                        Love Sail Away                        I'm Dancing As Fast As I Can                     ...