Look Over Your Shoulder: A Glance Back At The O'Jays
David Wayne | Santee, CA United States | 06/30/2000
(4 out of 5 stars)
"If you are trying to fill in the pieces of the early career of The O'Jays, start with historic singles like "Lonely Drifter" and "Lipstick Traces." If you have those, you're in the right place to take the next step. We'll start by examining the good in this album. It is a re-issue of the group's, raw-sugar sound while on the Bell Records label. It's really great to have songs like "I'll Be Sweeter Tomorrow," "Look Over Your Shoulder," and "I Dig Your Act" back in print. This record is from 1968, back in the days when there were 5 O'Jays. They were a bold and dynamic group, and were veterans of the soul circuit even at this time. The talent was in place for this soon-to-be superstar group. The bad of this collection is that not all of the songs live up to the above-mentioned trioka. A lack of quality material is really what kept The O'Jays from becoming a household name sooner. And now for the ugly: that cheesy, canned, fake applause that separates each track on the record. Whoever made the decision to release the record this way in the first place, really goofed. That the CD release still contains the clap-track, we can chalk up to either a) someone wanted to maintain the original continuity (Why?) or b) the phony cheering couldn't be separated from the music on the master tape. It is a shame, because such sub-standard production really mars this significant record of The O'Jays' early sound. Once you have this, move on to "The O'Jays In Philadelphia," to catch their first collaboration with Gamble and Huff on the Neptune label. This album is also available as a budget CD titled, "In The Beginning," which is a misnomer. From there, it's "Back Stabbers," and the dawn of The Sound Of Philadelphia."
The best of the O'jay re-releases.
David Wayne | 02/06/1999
(5 out of 5 stars)
"The O'jays "Back on Top" is soul music at it's most dynamic. With the stunning ballads, "I'll be Sweeter Tomorrow," and "Look Over Your Shoulder" This mid-sixties release is a fine example of what true group harmony is all about."
