Disco Spectrum 3

Various Artists (Artist) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (May 21, 2002)
• Number of Discs: 2
• Label: Urban Theory
• ASIN: B000063DUG
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #485,401 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

Disc: 1

1. Does It Feel Good

2. Under the Skin

3. Goin' up in Smoke

4. Somewhere Beyond

5. Heartache No. 9

6. Solar Flight

7. Can't Shake Your Love

8. Isabelle & the Rain

9. Step By Step

10. Hot Disco Night

Disc: 2

1. Could Heaven Ever Be Like This

2. Can You Get Down

3. I'm So Hot

4. Nightlife

5. Groove on Down

6. Don't You Want Me

7. Let's Get This Thing Together

8. Please Don't Tempt Me

9. Reaching

10. Love Can't Come Will Come

Editorial Reviews

The Spectrum Series: The over commercialisation of dance music has led Spectrum Compilers to search for something more substantial, more genuine than the ever-shifting ephemera that passes for DJ Culture. The current endless search for the roots of house music & the decades of club culture most of us missed out on has its best ever instalment coming soon Disco Spectrum III: Representing the dance music of the late 70's and early 80's that was played in clubs, not on the radio. Therefore it does not contain the oftenrecycled KC, Bee Gees, or Village People. These songs didn't make the Top 40 or the Top 100 for that matter, but were beloved by the denizens of the clubs that set the trends. Joey Negro has teamed up with close friend Sean P; (one time Kiss FM producer, compiler of numerous compilations, sleeve note writer and most helpful talking disco encyclopedia on the planet) bringing us their latest collection of underground gems This music is the past, present, and the future. From the wavering falsetto vocals of Eddie Kendricks to the underrated Motown artist Syreeta, the album contains names we recognise such as Denise La Salle who reached Top Ten in the UK with My Toot Toot (1985) to those who have vanished like Koxo. Crate diggers will be relieved to find Rene & Angela, I love You More remastered & cut for 12 pleasure saving themselves the price of the original on the collectors market. In the studio Dunn Pearson is an accomplished pianist having produced, arranged, written and worked with such recording artists, as The O'Jays, Stephanie Mills, Teddy Pendergrass, Stevie Wonder, Roy Ayers, D'Angelo and he created a disco monster. Lenny Williams is best known as the lead singer of Tower of Power from 1972-75. He resurfaced in 1977, with production credits going to one Frank Wilson. Trainspotters will know that he made Do I Love You, the highest priced 7 single ever. Millions of words have been written about Disco, it is not going to lie down & die. Two music lovers have put there knowledge to the the best of use and allowed the true heroes of the movement to step out of the shadows once again.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

17 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars More Rareties, May 31, 2002

By 

disco75 "disco75" (State College, PA United States) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Disco Spectrum 3 (Audio CD)

BBE Records once again provides a great collection of obscure disco tracks. The 2-disc set contains 20 songs in full length versions, with a thoughtful selection of lesser-known 12" releases and album tracks. Disc 1 alternates vocal tracks with instrumentals. Peppered throughout the set are songs that nod to Chic: scratching rhythm guitar, throbbing basslines, melodic washes. As with other Spectrum releases, male vocalists get a rare spotlight; in fact, with this release, there are only three tracks with female lead vocals. The selections:

1. BT Express: Does It Feel Good, 1979
2. The Brothers: Under The Skin, 1976
3. Eddie Kendricks: Goin' Up In Smoke, 1976
4. Hi Voltage: Somewhere Beyond, 1981
5. Delegation: Heartache No 9, 1979
6. Mandre: Solar Flight, 1977
7. Syreeta: Can't Shake Your Love, 1981
8. Jo Boyer, Isabelle & The Rain
9. Koxo: Step By Step, 1982
10. Sweet Potato: Hot Disco Night, 1978

11. Idris Muhammed: Could Heaven Ever Be Like This, 1977
12. Universe City: Can You Get Down, 1976
13. Denise LaSalle: I'm So Hot, 1980
14. Blair: NightLife, 1978
15. Dunn Pearson Jr: Groove On Down, 1978
16. Fever: Don't You Want Me, 1980
17. Universal Robot Band: Let's Get This Thing Together, 1980
18. Lenny Williams: Please Don't Tempt Me, 1977
19. Dazzle: Reaching, 1978
20. Invisible Man's Band: Love Don't Come, 1980

The live drums on these songs provide a warm sonic core; some tracks are jazz-disco excursions; the sequence of the tracks is great. This time round, the packaging allows for easy reading of the extensive liner notes. (One gripe-- proofing by an editor would have cleaned up the notes.) All of the Disco Spectrum releases are wonderful for fans of dance music, and none panders to the radio-hits format that renders so many disco collections repetitive. Highly recommended.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars "OH, MY GOODNESS!!!", July 19, 2004

By 

R. Golden (New York (for today...)) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Disco Spectrum 3 (Audio CD)

"Is the boogie bad, or is the boogie bad!?" Sorry, had to quote DJ Gerry Bledsoe (RIP) for this. Having a compilation with "Could Heaven Ever Be Like This" by Idris Muhammad is worth the price of the cd by itself. I am sooooo happy to get a disco compilation that takes the genre beyond white three-piece suits and the Village People. Most of these songs were only heard in the clubs or in some hip neighbor's apartment. If you don't have it, get it...

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Another great Disco Spectrum, October 21, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: Disco Spectrum 3 (Audio CD)

Respect is due to Joey and Sean for another great edition in their Disco Spectrum series. So many hard to find tracks that have never made it to CD.

This was worth the money alone to hear the wicked "Under the Skin" by The Brothers straight off a high quality CD instead of my scratched old vinyl. Other standouts include Universe City's jazz funky "Can You Get Down" (never owned an original of this before), Blair's moody "NightLife" (apparantly an ex Blackbyrds member), B.T.Express's Chic-ish (and much sampled) "Does it Feel good To You". There are so many great tracks on this LP and even as an avid disco/soul/boogie collector I only had about a quarter of them.

If you want a thinking mans disco comp, this is for you.