Customer Reviews

Anthology

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

There is no shortage of Tavares collections available, some good, some not so. This latest package from the Right Stuff division of Capitol, one in their anthology series, does a respectable job of gathering up the single successes and then some of this sometimes overlooked group. Although they achieved only one top-10 pop hit with "It Only Takes A Minute", their presence on oldies playlists attests to their music's sustainability. The familiarity today of such tunes as "Heaven Must Be Missing An Angel" and "Whodunit" belies the relatively tepid success these songs achieved on the pop charts.

This 31-track, two-disc package serves up their pop and r'n'b hits, album cuts and failed singles and an informative liner notes booklet. Sound quality though not offering any revelations, is commensurate with the rest of the package. If there is a shortfall here, it is the omission of any of their work at RCA, although admittedly that label change did not rejuvenate their popularity. Had at least their top-40 pop hit "A Penny For Your Thoughts" and "Deeper In Love" been included, this would garner a five-star rating.

Those omissions notwithstanding, this new collection does offer the best to date for this group whose golden age of popularity spanned more than a decade.

I am a fan of Tavares, have collected all 12 of their vinyl albums, and the few compilations on CD, which only gave a glimpse into the musical careers of these wonderful artist.I have waited for this Anthology for a long time, and I am extremely pleased with the production.
As a fan familiar with all of their releases, I know there is enough exceptional recordings left on vinyl to produce a second Anthology, this time to include the incredible " Let Me Heal The Bruises", "God Bless You", "Mystery Lady", "In The Eyes of Loves", "Games, Games" and "Abracadabra(Love You Too)", just to name several. I would be first in line for Volume Two.
Some of the best ballads sung in the 70s and 80s were sung by Tavares. Ballad lovers will be very pleased to own this Anthology. Thank you Tavares for the great music.

Anyone who is looking to add to their 70's CD collection cannot afford to overlook this one! Kudos to Capitol Records for finally realizing the enduring appeal of these talented brothers...My favorites are the more popular Heaven Must Be Missing An Angel and She's Gone, but check out songs like To The Other Man and The Love I Never Had which did not get the airplay other Tavares songs did.

Looking at the costumes will make you laugh these days, but if you went-a-dancin' back in the 70's chances are you have some good memories attached to these songs.

This CD is the best collection of Tavares I've found and the only one with one of my personal faves "To the other Man"... It is just disappointing that my favorite song from "Sky High" (which is mysteriously unavailable in CD) "Guiding Star is missing, and not available anywhere I can find. We listen to one that a friend "ripped" from the LP, which is of course not CD quality, but it is my favorite, I played it at my Brother in Law's wedding way back in the 70's as it was "their song". They are still together so there you go!

In any case when ever I play this CD, all the women anywhere near my age all stop by and ask to turn it up. Guys, that ought to tell us something.

This compilation outdoes any Tavares compilation there is! I had a scanty Tavares CD and just hearing those songs made me want more! This anthology is everything it should be and more! I was so pleased that it has the full-length version of some songs that had been edited, in my other compilation. With this anthology, it has all you could want of Tavares. I think Tavares is a very underrated group, I think they're great! A must for the Tavares fan!

Looking at their chart history, it seems that Tavares were more popular in Britain, where they had four top ten pop hits, than their American homeland, where they had just one. Exactly why this should be so is not clear to me, but although Tavares were by no means the most important group of their era, they recorded some great songs. This compilation contains most of their hits on both sides of the Atlantic. None of the omissions are serious.

Check it out and Remember what I told you, their first two American top forty hits, didn't chart (and probably weren't released) in the UK. Heaven must be missing an angel, Don't take away the music, Whodunit and More than a woman (a track from the Saturday night fever soundtrack) were all UK top ten hits that made the American top forty pop chart. It only takes a minute was their only American top ten pop hit - it was a minor UK hit in 1986 having missed the chart, or maybe not been released, back in the seventies.

There are many other tracks including a cover of the Hall and Oates classic She's gone. If you are interested in seventies soul music, Tavares are definitely worth a listen, although if you just want the big hits, you can find them on single CD compilations of their music.

I am so glad Capitol came to their senses and released this anthology! Words can't describe how much this wonderful family group has been so over-looked! Every song on here is a winner! My ultimate favorites were Check it Out Fool of the Year (Co written by Butch Tavares) Strangers in Dark Corners...
Love it!!! A must for every cd collection!
I love you Tavares!!!

These brothas can sing yall! I was kind of disappointed that their 1983 hit "A Penny For Your Thoughts" was not added to this collection but overall this album is excellent.

I never buy CD's at full price, though I did use a Borders Gift Card from friends to get this wonderful collection early this year.

I have always loved soul music, but for a time during the mid-late 70's I started thinking that most then current soul music was uninspired or disco-ish. Quite unfairly, I put Tavares in that category for a time. Well, time has mellowed me & I have re-discovered a great deal of great music from that era.

It is easy to typecast Tavares as a "disco group" if you just pay attention to "Heaven Must Be Missing An Angel" or
"Don't Take Away My Music", though both songs are much more than mere dance songs.

The group also did its share of ballads, like the awesome "Check It Out" & "Remember What I Told You To Forget." The moving "To the Other Man" (originally recorded by Luther Ingram) is a very nice song & perfect for Mother's Day.

I was interested in hearing the tracks from their "Madame Butterfly" album from later in their career. The 3 songs that are here (including the title track) are all very nicely done.

A few songs don't hold up such as the gimmicky "Timber" but even the lesser songs are pleasant. Particulary nice is a remake of Jesse Belvin's "Goodnight My Love".

Various producer/composers had a hand in different songs like the team of Lambert & Potter, as well as Bobby Martin who was part of the Philadelphia Sound.

So, if you are a 60s, 70s, 80s soul fan, I would definitely put this on your want list. Good music for listening & dancing.

Why can't anyone come out with a truly complete anthology of all the great albums of Tavares??? As others have noted, there are quite a few CD's but none capture all of the many, many great songs of this classic 70-80's music. I guess the only way to get a complete anthology is to purchase the individual songs you want online and burn them on your own CD. I have found "Penny for your thoughts" that way. If Capitol or Rhino or any other company ever came out with the complete works of Tavares, i'd be the first to buy it (and I'd pay full retail too!). It would be well worth it!