Search - Gap Band :: Gap Band 3

Gap Band III

Olukayode Balogun | Leeds, England | 03/10/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Just like the album Gap Band IV that followed it (see my review below), this 1980 release was another winner from the Wilson brothers and an iconic album of the early 80s. It was also produced by Lonnie Simmonds and gave us hits & old favourites like "Yearning For Your Love" (the title gives the sentiment away and it's a truly beautiful ballad), "Burn Rubber On Me (Why You Wanna Hurt Me)" - with that revving motorcycle intro - and "Sweet Caroline"; another sweet ballad.



The album opener, "When I Look In Your Eyes", is a bright and bouncy number and "Are You Living" reminds me of Earth Wind & Fire at their best. The fun track "Humpin'" is reminiscent of their 1979 hit "I Don't Believe You Want To Get Up And Dance (Oops, Upside Your Head)", from the album The Gap Band II. "The Way" is a funky little surprise and with "Gash, Gash, Gash", I think the guys were just having fun. It's potentially very infectious fun but probably a matter of taste more than anything else. You might need to be a reall funk lover to fully appreciate it, I think.



All said and done, another fine classic from a fine band. They have quite a number of greatest hits albums out these days and one of those is always worth picking up. That said, so many of their album cuts are pretty awesome too, particularly in their earlier days, so I'd say get the original albums if at all possible."

"One of the best funk albums of the new decade"

M. Spencer | Stockbridge, GA by way of D.C. | 02/07/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"To quote myself in my title review, that is almost an understatement. Released in late 1980 the Gap Band finally came out with the breakout album we all knew they were capable. After two excellent abums the Gap Band finally broke through with this masterpiece of funk and soul and put and along with many others, all but put a end to their disco past. Starting the album off is the the funky midtempo jam "When I Look In Your Eyes" which is followed by two other classics "Yearning For Your Love" and "Burn Rubber On Me"(5 r&b and 1 r&b respectively. These two classic have remain staples on radio for many years and I can see why. There's really no bad tracks on this album and was also their longest album ever at the time. This album also included the Earth Wind & Fire inspired "Are You Living" with its great horn section and "The Way" which should have been a hit with its great lead and background vocals by Charlie Wilson and Ronnie and Robert Wilson, respectively. Overall between this and their next album you could tell that they were not playing around while now picking up where the Ohio Players left off. They truly set the standard for funk in the late 70's and early 80's by not compromising their talent and sound going overboard with all the synthensizer many others were using to duplicate real instruments. And just like Stevie Wonder, the Gap Band utilized synthensizers for what they were by letting them play alongside real instruments giving their music a certain sound of style and class within the funk genre. While also being their second album to go gold the Wilson Brothers along with producer Lonnie Simmons were in peak form and never let up on this album, which along with Gap Band IV is the only other Mercury Gap album that is still available on cd. Can't get enough of this album to this day and still sounds fresh after all these years. A must have for your soul funk collection!!!"