Customer Reviews

NightbirdsPhoenixChameleon

5 star:		(11)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Labelle's 3 most famous albums are all beautifully packaged together on this amazing set. NIGHTBIRDS, PHOENIX, and CHAMELEON, their biggest albums recorded from 1974-1976 are all here, with remastered sound and a 16 page booklet. The biggest hurrah is for finally having the 1975 album , PHOENIX on CD at long last. It sounds crystal clear, with the vocals in particular having the benefit of being sharper and clearer than the record that I've been listening to for 34 years. This is what Labelle fans have been requesting and waiting for not years, but decades. PHOENIX completes the CD trilogy of now having all 3 of their Epic label albums on CD, and conveniently in one double CD. NIGHTBIRDS with the #1 worldwide hit LADY MARMALADE , finally brought Labelle into the mainstream and this album is a true classic . Every song is crafted magnificently with the amazing blend of vocals, the band and the production by Allen Toussaint. This is the album that made Labelle famous, and includes many of the songs that the group did live in so many concerts and on TV shows. WHAT CAN I DO FOR YOU is an anthem for peace and love, and it's charging call for peaceful action is a wake up call all these decades later. Nona's songwriting is the tightest and provokingly best songs that she ever wrote. It's one classic after another: SOMEBODY SOMEWHERE, ARE YOU LONELY, SPACE CHILDREN, NIGHTBIRD, YOU TURN ME ON.

PHOENIX is the big draw to this CD. It is just as great as NIGHTBIRDS, with more even more original material , including the epic title track PHOENIX [ THE AMAZING FLIGHT OF A LONE STAR ]. There are any number of highlights on here with SLOW BURN , another socio-political song that is relevant as it was in 1975, GOOD INTENTIONS with it's intro of piano, and Patti's strong lead backed up by the power of Nona and Sarah's foundation of support, and COSMIC DANCER, with Patti & Nona both sharing lead vocals. The album also shows a progression of sounds with Latin percussion and reggae as well. ACTION TIME is possibly one of their most underrated, yet greatest performances with it's message and ending that just builds to a climaxing chorus . It's got it all , including a seriously funky mix of styles of soul, rock and reggae with horns and those voices. You have to get this one. And of course, it's home to the rockin' MESSIN' WITH MY MIND, a burning mix of soul , rock and dance that only Labelle could do.

CHAMELEON was the last album, and though on CD, it has been out of print. The group expanded their sound with even longer songs. If you have heard this album, you know what a mind and audio altering sound experience it is. If you haven't , you must as Labelle broke even their own boundaries with this album. In fact, the group went so far, they couldn't agree on what to pursue next in their music and heartbreakingly broke up just 3 months after it's release. From the funk of GET YOU SOMEBODY NEW to Patti's traditional love of soul on ISN'T IT A SHAME through all the songs starting with WHO'S WATCHING THE WATCHER [ another of Nona's songs that still resonates so well to the world, and Labelle at their most hard rock leanings ]through the gospel release of the closer GOING DOWN MAKES ME SHIVER [ and you gotta hear Sarah hit the high "C" notes on this song ], this is Labelle's journey into a new musical landscape. They sang " If you believe in the magical world " on the title track, and this album is exactly that - a magical world of music by the one and only trio of Labelle.

A big thank you to the UK label BGO [ Beat Goes On ] for having the sense to release these important Labelle albums on CD. Unbelievably, even with Labelle reuniting for their new album BACK TO NOW on Verve Records and a tour, the label who owns the masters in the US, Sony/BMG reissued not one Labelle album on CD . It's the small independent labels in the UK which are reissuing US artists and US albums nowadays. The gigantic corporate US record companies are issuing less old catalog titles. So, thanks to BGO out of England [ a smaller country, but reissuing more older albums on CD than the major labels in the US are ] for doing such a great amount of work in getting these classic, legendary Labelle albums on CD. Next, let's hope to see PRESSURE COOKIN' finally on CD, as well as the back catalog of Nona Hendryx and Sarah Dash albums that have never been on CD. The owner of most of those albums is , you guessed it, Sony/BMG.

I thought it would never happen. All LaBelle products were re-released but why not Phoenix? All water under the bridge because it is finally here! I have this on cassette and have transferrred it many times but it is getting worn out. I can get to my favorites without having to ff or rw or flip it over! "Chances Go Round," and "Good Intentions" have almost faded from the tape. I love Phoenix and am glad it is available.

My only gripe, why combine it with CD's that are still available to the public. It should have been released by itself! I will do the download because I have "Nightbirds" and Chameleon" already.

This CD/Download is a must have!

I have been wating for Phoenix for 10 years now. Glad it's on CD! For all the people that want to know what a tight group sounds like buy this one. Thank you Labelle 'it took a long time', but glad it's on CD! I have already placed my order just waiting on my CD to get to my house. I normally do not buy cd's, i just buy the mp3. However this is a collector's items, and I need it to complete my Labelle collection. Finally it's complete!

Finally, after years of slipshod reissues, or agregiously, no reissues at all, these essential funk albums get a proper treatment.

It was not the grooves that made Labelle important, although there are truck loads. And it was not the vocals, although they are the best of the trade.

It was the writting. Where some 1970s funk bands were only vested into shaking booties, Labelle made funk actually progressive. True, "Lady Marmalade: is absolutle classic with its stomp, but listen to "Cosmic Dancer," from Phoenix. It works as funk, it works as soul, but if you here the poetic essay Nona Hendrix of made of these chords--how the track just winds into its amazaing constructions and beautiful textures-you'll see besides Funkadelic, Labelle had no peer or better in making funk work as composed music. Amazing music.

This along would make these albums classic, but with the amazing vocals--which epitomize how funk should be sung-and amazing but clean playing-all of these albums are a crime to miss.

If you don't know these, you're funk education is incomplete.

After waiting for over 30 years fans can finally hear Labelle at their very best.This is a great trilogy of albums but the good news is the release of the Phoenix.This was a large departure for the band and they began moving away from the radical Black Awareness music that made them popular on underground radio in the 70's.Labelle went in a more rock direction .The song Phoenix is a great combination of the vocals stylings of Queen as well as Earth Wind and Fire.How many bands can even come close to sounding like any of them .This is a must have for Patty fans.Now the Pressure is cooking we would like to have another triolgy of Moonshadow,the first Labelle and Pressure cookin..thanu u for this but I do not have another 30 years

Hey guys

Well I finally got my copy and let me tell you having the album and then hearing Phoneix without the sctraches it AWESOME! I've had the other two for a while now so i just wanted to get this just for the Phoenix album. My only grip about this is that they didn't include the lyrces for each album! That would've been great since Chameleon has the lyrics in the cd booklet. Other than that great pics and essay on the girls! well done!

What do you get when you combine ingenius song writing and arrangement, outfits from another planet topped with "from another planet" vocals to match? Why Labelle of course!

if you love anything about Patti Labelle and her "break the sound barrier" vocals at all, this album is a MUST HAVE! The double cd is a compilation of the groups three major albums, including all of their top hits. When hearing "Lady Marmalade", "What Can I Do For You","It Took A Long Time", "Going Down Makes Me Shiver" or "You Turn Me On" you get the jist of why Labelle was such a world reknown group. Back in the day, there wasn't a barbeque, block party, house party, Soul Train episode or automobile that wasn't blasting that soul blasting, funk-you-to-death harmony that was Patti Labelle, Nona Hendrix and Sara Dash.


If you grew up in the church... get it.
If you gotta have some Patti-Patti.... get it
If you crave the time when artists had to know how to "sang" to even get a record deal...get it!!

If you are a true Labelle Fan, then this is not only an excellent bargain, but also a must have. Given that these beautiful, talented, and courageously political soul-sisters have given their hearts and soul to true music and artistry, it is imperative to have this collection. The Phoenix album had been very difficult to get for the longest (now we only need Pressure Cookin) but we don't have to wait any longer. And given our current economic state, this CD is a BARGAIN. In the words of the talented Nona Hendryx, "We've all got to go like we come/ before or after the sun'/and if you believe in the one'/you'll be living the one life God's given" (Phoenix--The Amazin Flight of a Lone Star). Ode to Labelle

What's better than having 3 GREAT albums in one CD collection!!! Nona Hendryx, Patti Labelle and Sarah Dash are pure magic!!! I love this !!!!

I heard or read that the master tapes for PHOENIX got "lost" - hateful rumor, now I'm on AMAZON and see PHOENIX is FINALLY remastered and on CD. I just ordered it. Nightbirds (with Lady Marmalade) is NOT Sarah, Patti and Nona's best CD !!!! It's NOT It's NOT.

I cannot choose between PHOENIX and CHAMELEON. They are two of my favorite albums ever. I was 8 years old when Lady Marmalade came out. Bought the album then with my allowance -TRUE.

Chameleon -GET YOU SOMEBODY NEW is insane, one of THE BEST ! ( "I can't stand it" 96 times! ) My mother hated the song -It is GREAT even today because the layering and mixing of the girls is too much. The Chameleon /Gypsy Moths suite is addictive- the segue from one to the other is perfect. COME INTO MY LIFE is too classic.

PHOENIX - THAT WHOLE DAMN ALBUM. SORRY - You had to be "there". The Amazing Flight of a Lone Star, SLOW BURN, COSMIC DANCER, all EXCELLENT !!! - We will NEVER get Rock / Funk ladies like them ever again! I'm glad they are still here - but they should have been more famous. These 3 projects will NEVER go out of style. What do you feel?