Soul Express CD Review

MELBA MOORE
The Other Side Of The Rainbow
US Funky Town Grooves CD, 2011
The original release on US Capitol 1982

Love's Comin' At Cha / Underlove / Mind Up Tonight / Knack For Me / How's Love Been Treating You / Don't Go Away / I Can't Help Myself (Sugar Pie Honey Bunch) / The Other Side Of The Rainbow / BONUS TRACKS: Underlove (M&M Mix) / Love's Comin' At Cha (Instrumental) / Mind Up Tonight (Instrumental)

EMI reissued this album back in 2004 and it soon disappeared and started commanding high prices online. This set is my fave of Melba Moore... simply superb and is more than deserving of a sooner-rather-than-later re-dusting off – and this time with some essential bonus material! The quality is superb. The message is clear with CD reissues, and let’s not beat about the bush. It doesn’t matter how slick the packaging is if the material isn’t from master tape but from ripping of vinyl then do NOT bother as yes, you CAN tell, and it offends me as a consumer and pays no homage to the artist and their work. Funky Town Grooves have got this 80s reissue market licked and no-one can complain at the quality of sound here.

The cool, warm, sophisticated tracks as laid down here are magnificently presented and sound as great today as they did in 1982 when this set was first released. If a job’s worth doing then it’s worth doing well, and to hear albums like this lovingly re-crafted for today’s discerning soul fan is a real treat.

Uptempo grooves such as the Paul Laurence produced “Love’s Comin’ At Cha” is solid as a rock and as soon as I hear it I cannot stop getting THAT feeling. It has rhythm, movement, flow and charisma. In fact it wipes the floor with anything created today. Even the best of today’s tracks only stand in the shadow of this kind of material. Kashif’s timeless dancer “Underlove” still cannot be beaten, and it’s also great to see his early Arista sets see the light of day on CD here in Europe as well as in Japan. As per usual the Americans, to their shame, haven’t even bothered. So much talent and so little interest. It’s nothing short of criminal.

Label mate Lillo Thomas served up a real tasty meal with “Mind Up Tonight”, and it’s a pity he could not do the same for his latest set – although I am pleased to see this legend return. Also great to hear in glorious non-ripped vinyl glory is Rahni Song’s “Don’t Go Away”. Pure genius and fans of quality time early 80s soul will adore this. Extra tracks include the M&M Mix of “Underlove”, and instrumental versions of “Love’s Comin’ At Ya” and “Mind Up Tonight”.

-Barry Towler

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