Search - Slave :: Party Lights: More of the Best

RELEASE SHOWTIME ON CD!

Maria Alvarez | Stevens Point,WI USA | 06/20/2003

(3 out of 5 stars)

"Everybody who enjoys Slave's music will agree when I say that without a shadow of a doubt,Showtime should be Remastered for release on Cd! Anyone who hasn't listened to this Remarkable & Spectacular Album is missing out on Some SERIOUS CLASSIC FUNK,for real. That album was funk in its most Truest & Purest form and for Rhino not to reissue Showtime,it's just plain ludicrous! This compilation they put out is O.K.,but that's about all. It's an incomplete collection of scattered songs that doesn't do Slave justice. Most of the songs featured here are ones that have already been released on CD at some point(i.e.Son of Slide,Starting Over,Feel My Love) and it also includes songs from Slave's Spin-off bands like Aurra and Steve Arrington's Hall of Fame,which is really unnecessary because they should save that material for those bands' 'Best Of' CDs. Worst of all though is that a handful of some of Slave's Most Essential Cuts didn't make it onto this disc. 'The Way You Love Is Heaven','Just Freak','Foxy Lady(Funky Lady)as well as their later charting hits such as 'Shake It Up',Steppin' Out,'E.Z. Lovin' U','Ooohh','Jazzy Lady' and 'Thrill Me' are the most glaring omissions. Most of the songs on this Cd didn't even chart. They at least could've featured some of Slave's later & often overlooked recordings. In the liner notes,it mentions "Though Slave could never rebuild their hitmaking dynasty,they never stopped trying". Slave was never considered a Pop band anyways,so does it really matter if they didn't score Pop Top 40 Hits? To many of Slave's loyal fans,that never was a factor because Slave never failed to make it funky and that's all their fans ever wanted. What Slave can be categorized as is Clearly one of the Most Innovative & Influential bands in the history of funk. Slave was a band with the unique ability to concoct a Sinister Jam yet simultaneously layer that with a Slickly Syncopated Groove. Slave created a Signature sound with Grinding Bass & Driving Guitar on the Bottom and Silky vocals,luscious melodies & smooth synth sounds on the top. SLAVE was such an entertaining & talented band but I feel that most of the 'greatest hits' packages don't reflect just how important & integral the were to the development & evolution of funk and music in general. That said,I think it's safe to say that this compilation doesn't quite represent SLAVE the way they should've been remembered. If Rhino or any other record company wants to give SLAVE's fans what they REALLY WANT,then they should Reissue SHOWTIME on Cd with extra bonus tracks like the extended 12" Version of 'Snap Shot' 'cuz that album was a raw Slab of Funk!
They should also Re-Release albums like The Concept & Just a Touch of Love plus Bad Enuff,New Plateau & Unchained at Last to better represent Slave's mid 1980s output. Especially Unchained at Last from 1985 because Slave had just signed with a new record label(the Atlanta-based Ichiban Records) and the group's members had new outlook & direction on their music. The music on that LP was Fresh,Exhilerating & Exciting to sum it up best. Every track is real tight and the standout tracks are:Jazzy Lady,Like To Get You,Don't U Be Afraid,All We Need Is Time,& their most Slamming Single since Snapshot-Thrill Me. With a Killer Bass Line and a Hypnotic Groove this song is among my favorites. There has never been a SLAVE album that I didn't enjoy cuz I love them all! In any case,RELEASE SHOWTIME ON CD NOW! Oh yeah,and to Mark Adams,Danny Webster,Floyd Miller & the rest of the Guyz from SLAVE: U Guyz should continue doing what you do best-Giving Up That Fungk. Please release a CD of new material. I know that all your fans won't be disappointed. Until then,I'll keep listening to SLAVE's albums. Much Love & Respect from Maria."

This is a weak compilation.....

John D. Washington | Los Angeles, CA USA | 03/13/2003

(3 out of 5 stars)

"Slave is one of the greatest funk bands to exist, however this CD does little to demonstrate that. Granted, many of the biggest hits are on the first "Best of", but you could have added the better songs from this CD (removing the Steve Arrington Hall of Fame tracks) onto that one for a truly great disc. As with the first compilation, I think you short change Slave by including songs from the 'spin-off' bands, e.g. Steve Arrington and Aurra.With the exception of Party Lites, Baby Sinister, and For the Love of U, there isn't alot here. If Rhino really wanted to release a great Slave CD, re-issue "Showtime" (which I believe is one of the best funk albums, period). This CD is just too watered down."

SLAVE A REAL PARTY AND WANT MORE *

John D. Washington | 08/03/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"SLAVE IS MY FAVORITE MUSICS, I JUST DON'T KNOW WHY THEY HAVEN'T RELEASE THEIR OTHERS ALBUMS ON CD LIKE SHOWTIME AND VISION OF THE LITE. ALL HEATWAVE MUSIC IS FAVORITE ARTIST TOO READ THERE ALSO."