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Soul Express Album Review




OLIVER CHEATHAM
Get Down Saturday Night
Dutch Vinyl Masterpiece 1983 / 2007
1) Get Down Saturday Night 2) Make Your Mind Up 3) Something About You 4) Bless The Ladies 5) Do Me Right 6) Never Gonna Give You Up 7) Through It All 8) Just To Be With You 9) Get Down Saturday Night (Special Extended Version)

This was an album I ignored because I was sick to death of hearing the title track. It was always one of “those” old favourites that was duly trundled out at various soul do's in favour of some other new record that was equally as deserving but yet ignored. I connected this record with those who could not see further than their early 80s clubbing days. This was the ultimate groove for those who's own needle had got stuck.

The years have passed and I have grown to love the song again, realising what a MONSTER it really is. Its a classic, let's face it. Everyone knows and loves it, even the ankle-biters will have some exposure thanks to dance act Room 5 and their hit back in 2003. I was totally ignorant to the fact that one of my favourites – Kevin McCord – had co-written this tune. The One Way connection does not stop there. Al Hudson, Al Perkins and the One Way gang contribute to this groovy slab of 80s soul.

There isn't much more to say about the title track bar the good folks at Vinyl Masterpiece have given us the added bonus of a special extended version. I have to confess that even though I adore 80s dance tracks, those by One Way don't always stand the test of time. I personally feel that they were not beaten on the ballad front, and that's where Kevin McCord came into his own. Thankfully this is not the case on this album. “Make Up Your Mind” is the weakest uptempo offering on here, whereas “Just To Be With You” sounds excellent. This bobs along and gets the old head nodding. 24 years on and this sounds as fresh as a daisy.

“Something About You” oozes summertime good vibes and once we see any sun, then it will be pumping out of the car. This is Kevin McCord's classy work yet again. “Do Me Right” and “Never Gonna Give You Up” are yet more quality tracks that has One Way and their unique style stamped all over it. Pure class. Oliver Cheatham does a great job of manifesting a Cortez Harris style falsetto within “Through It All” and does nothing but make this album an essential purchase. This is a great sounding album. The quality is superb – and so it should be. Quality music demands nothing short of 110% effort. And that's what we have here.
- Barry Towler

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