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1976 - "Ladies Choice" by Line Level Music
"Side one"... remember when you had to turn the record over? Well, side one hit you right in the face and just kept coming. The title track was something different, with a drum machine and a little "white boy reggae", followed by an all out assault from tunes like "Calcutta Auction", "One Good Reason" (which features some killer sax from David Sanborn), and of course "Strike Up The Band", which would become the show closer for what seemed like forever. Add in "Heavyweight" with monster organ from Seth Justman of the J.Geils Band and you might have the most rockin' album side in MSB history. "Side two"...flip the record over and a whole other world awaits. "Let It Slide", as Michael recalls in the CD reissue notes, was "inspired" by the Eagles tune "Already Gone".
Then we hear what this version of the band might have been best at: the trio of "Blue Jean Boy", "Old Dancin’ Fool", and "Edge Of The Sky" flow together as well as any three tunes could. "Love Hasn't Been Here", a song written by Michael for Dan Pecchio to sing, can make the hair on the back of your neck stand up. Finish up with the instrumental "Choice and Sanborn", pretty much an excuse for more sax work from David Sanborn, and you have a great album with a very cool cover (just where does that girl’s third arm come from?).
Following the release of the album, keyboardist Bob Pelander was added for the tour.
Track listing:
LADIES'CHOICE
CALCUTTA AUCTION
STRIKE UP THE BAND
HEAVY WEIGHT
ONE GOOD REASON
LET IT SLIDE
BLUE JEAN BOY
OLD DANCIN' FOOL
EDGE OF THE SKY
LOVE HASN'T BEEN HERE
CHOICE AND SANBORN |
