Search - O'Jays :: Survival

Simply amazing

Timothy R. Sullivan | 11/23/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"These guys are amazing and back in the 1970's there were few -- if any better -- groups in the world.



This album is stunning. I just picked it up, lapsing into the bad habit of buying greatest hits packages for years, I somehow left this off my O'Jays list -- and I'm a HUGE O'Jays fan (just saw them in concert a couple months ago).



Yes, the blockbuster hits are here, the title track, the amazing socially conscious "Give the People What They Want" and "Let Me Make Love to You."



But what really carries this epic album are the non-hits -- and this is why you should not limit yourself to greatest hits packages.



"Where Did We Go Wrong," Rich Get Richer," "How Time Flies," "What Am I Waiting For," and the sensational "Never Break Us Up" close out the album.



None of these songs were hits and they easily could be. For most groups, these songs would be the pinnacle of their careers. For The O'Jays it's just more brilliant work.



The production -- by legends Gamble and Huff -- is of course flawless and better than anything produced today, by far. The orchestration by MFSB is off the charts.



This album is a mind blower ... incredible."

Classic '70s soul

Tyler Smith | Denver, CO United States | 04/12/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

""Survival" is one of three great albums Philadelphia's O'Jays presented during the first of the 1970s, the other two being "Backstabbers" and "Ship Ahoy." For my money, "Survival" is the best of the bunch, a compelling blend of straight-ahead soul and r&b spiced with a strong dash of social commentary.The title tune provides a great example of the latter. A driving funk approach provides the perfect platform for the group to deliver its gritty vocals, which effectively convey the sense of desperation inside a man "busted, walkin' around broke.""Rich Get Richer" also provides sentiments the man in the street could relate to -- and still can. One of the best things the O'Jays do throughout the album is tell real, down-to-earth stories, and this tune rises above a diatribe with these great lines: "There's an old friend of mine/He's doin' good, real good, as a matter of fact/He don't know me now/But I can take him way, way, way back." Great stuff.Like all the great Philly groups, the O'Jays had a way with a ballad and could put tons of genuine emotion into the simplest lyrics. They weren't afraid of romance, but they didn't lapse into sappiness either: check out the straightforward "Let Me Love to You," or the plaintive "What Am I Waiting For," both of which combine well-crafted production with completely convincing and compelling vocals.One finds a dated element or two in listening to this now 28-year-old album, but these are easily outweighed by the group's pinpoint vocals, flawless arrangements and commitment to a musical concept. Recommended for those who were there and would like to relive it as well as for those coming to it for the first time. The old becomes new again."