G.Q.: Two
Soul Express CD Review
Reviewed by Barry Towler on
August 8, 2011
This album delivers in every respect you can think of - the boogie sounds of 1980s
"Two" represents the very, very best of what G.Q. had to offer. Both dancers and ballads work incredibly well and have more than stood the test of time.
Rating:
7 out of
10
 Buy this album from our CD Shop
CD reissue by Funky Town Grooves (USA, 2011)
The original album on Arista, 1980
Standing Ovation - Is It Cool? - Someday (In Your Life) - Lies - GQ Down - Don't Stop This Feeling - Reason For The Season - Sitting In The Park - It's Like that
With huge disco hits in the late 1970s, G.Q. were expected to deliver the goods
yet again, yet at a time when disco was very much frowned upon if not a hot potato.
This album, however, delivers in every respect you can think of.
Much more substantial that its predecessor and of a higher standard than its
follow-up set,
"Face To Face", I believe that "Two" represents the very, very best of what G.Q.
had to offer. Both dancers and ballads work incredibly well and have more than stood
the test of time.
The boogie sound of 1980 still remains true today and what we have here is a set
that is as much a part of today's fabric of soul music as it was back then.
The likes of Joey Negro and so on are more than able to refashion these
glorious sounds into boogie tunes / house cuts today and automatically
breathes more life into classic late 70s / early 80s uptempo tunes.
"Standing Ovation" and "Is It Cool?" are incredibly fresh, especially the latter
and the funky bass line is one that we can still expect to hear in many a new
house tune today. The relentless dance floor flavour pounds us again with
"Someday (In Your Life)" and if funky bass lines and scratchy guitar are your bag
then the brassy "Lies" will really and truly satisfy. What satisfies me more are
top-notch ballads, and early 80s ballads at that. If you don't know "Don't Stop
This Feeling" then you may listen to the first few moments and pass on it...
it begins in a rather twee fashion but soon builds up and changes to a gorgeous
ballad with bass lines and strings aplenty. I'd buy this for this and this track alone!
The lone ballad, this is what I would like to have heard more of, but tracks such as
"It's Like that" are still great uptempo numbers and definitely part of the best that
G.Q. ever created. Yet again the number of CD reissues from the 1980s grows, and I am
a great supporter of this... now let's get more and more out because once my appetite
is wet, it needs sustenance!
-Barry Towler
The Vibe Scribe
The Latest
CD Reviews
Albums
of the Month in 2010
Albums
of the Month in 2009
Albums
of the Month in 2008
Albums
of the Month in 2007
Albums
of the Month in 2006
Albums
of the Month in 2005
Albums
of the Month in 2004
Albums
of the Month in 2003
Albums
of the Month in 2002
Albums
of the Month in 2001
Albums
of the Month in 2000
Albums
of the Month in 1999
Albums
of the Month in 1998
Albums
of the Month in 1997
Other CD
reviews
Back to
our home page
|
