Customer Reviews

That's A-Plenty

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

 

 

This is the best album of Pointer Sisters, my father bought this album (Vinyl)as a rarity in a shop in 1977. When I started to listen the tunes was amazing. The support of excellent musicians like Herbie Hancock, Harry "Sweets" Edison and Blood, Sweat & Tears bassist Ron McClure gave a special atmosphere to the album. For anyone I recommend this album of Jazz, Blues and beyond. Thanks to Japan for giving us a gift like this...

Finally! Even though it had to come from Japan (excellent remastering) it was worth the wait. The CD shows the Pointers at their best: funk, nostagia, jazz and blues. For A CD you will never get bored with, buy this one!

I agree with reviewer Roderick Keech that Hip-oselect has done a superb job remastering this vintage Pointer Sisters' album. It sounds clear and has plenty of bass, as though the album was recorded yesterday.

For those of you who are unfamiliar with the Pointer Sisters earlier work, when there was four of them, the work that pre-dates their big hits like HE'S SO SHY, FIRE, JUMP, and I'M SO EXCITED (among others)...you're in for a treat.

The Pointer Sisters blue thumb recordings almost defied categorization. Some of it was funky (LOVE IN THEM THERE HILLS), while others were jazzy-big band orchestrations (LITTLE PONY)... And yet still others, were soft-bluesy ballads (BLACK COFFEE)--including country (FAIRYTALE). You would think that an album with this much variation would fall apart. However, listening to the cd/album of THAT'S A PLENTY all these varied musical styles fuse perfectly together, and that's due to the Pointers' laser like harmonies and singing.

The songs on this album are very different from their big hits from the late 70s and earlier 80s (including the songs from their monster album BREAKOUT on Planet). Although the music is very different, it is somehow the same. Perhaps it's because every song has that Pointer Sister stamp on it...that signature sound that people can hear and go that must be so-and-so.

Anyway, whatever it is, this album is guaranteed to put a smile on your face. I love all the songs on this album but the one that really stands out for me is SALT PEANUTS. The song is sung very fast and is a classic jazz song written by Dizzy Gillespie. The Pointers sing, scat, and swing their way through that song with blistering speed! I don't know what they're singing about in SALT PEANUTS, but every time I hear it, I laugh and smile.

Here is a perfect example of what engineers are capable of these days. The craftsmen at Hip-O-Select have bestowed their incredible talents on remastering all the Pointer Sisters Blue Thumb/ABC catalog - this title, Steppin', Having a party, and Live at the Opera House. It is a revelation to hear these 30 year old recordings in such pristine sound. Most, if not all these 2006 remasters are un-numbered limited releases of 5000 copies only, so don't leave your run too late if you want to pick one of these up at a reasonable price. As for this album, there isn't a dud track on it - superb pre-Planet Pointers. Talking about Planet, maybe the gurus at SONY/BMG will finally get around to giving the Pointer's Planet catalog the same deluxe treatment, and remaster and release Energy 1978, Priority 1979, Special Things 1980 and Black and White 1981 - while a different type of Pointer to the Blue Thumb works, punters are sick of endless best-ofs and compilations coming out. Just a pity that Hip-O-Select don't have access to the Planet recordings !!

This is my absolute favorite Pointer Sisters' album. I bought it when it came out, and have pretty much worn out my vinyl copy to the point where it skips during "Little Pony." The "Best of Blue Thumb..." has many of these tracks--but NOT my two favorites: Shaky Flat Blues and Little Pony. Those two tracks are worth the price. Thank you Japan!

This is the best CD of the Pointer Sister's early stuff. Though definately not to everybody's taste, you will not be disappointed here if you like The Manhatten Transfer or the early Bette Midler camp stuff. It sounds as fresh today as it did the day I opened up its vinyl recording sleeve in the 1970's.

This was my absolute favorite album in college in the 70's. I was amazed at how quickly it went out of print. New vinyl was unavailable by about 1976 and it never went to cd until the Japanese release. I found a very clean copy of the vinyl a couple of years ago and buned it to CD, several of these tunes still send shivers up my spine.

The original foursome of the Pointer Sisters were a very unique r@b act. They were hard to totally describe for their music was so eclectic. All four women were vocally gifted and this cd allows them all to be showcased.

Believe it or not they received a grammy for the country tune FAIRYTALE. The others are all hits, no misses. STEAM HEAT is a vocal touyr de force for all four as well as LOVE IN THEM THERE HILLS.

I could go through each song but will rather say if you want some quality r@b then this cd is a must have. Also, the digital remastering is amazing. It is just as clear as the album I had as a teen. Amazing and highly recommended. The early Pointer Sisters surely deserve their place in music history.

This is an outstanding album and has finally gotten the reissue it deserves, Japanese style with lyrics and original artwork. If you liked their debut album, this one will not disappoint.

THAT'S A PLENTY (BTS 6009) was the second LP for Anita, Bonnie, June and Ruth Pointer. It was released by BLUE THUMB Records in Feb. '74.

SIDE ONE
Bangin' on the Pipes is a novelty barbershop quartet number that segues to the brassy Steam Heat. Brilliant speed-of-light vocals, á la Lambert, Hendricks & Ross, make Salt Peanuts a rare treat. Grinning in Your Face is a rock track complete with dobro. Shaky Flat Blues (my favorite Pointer Sisters recording) may be an homage to Hoagy Carmichael. It was written by Anita, Bonnie and June. That's a Plenty is a Dixieland novelty with bar room piano and oompahing tuba. Side-closer Surfeit U.S.A. is a rapidfire medley of familiar tunes where the girls scat and sing band instrument parts.

SIDE TWO
Little Pony was written by Neal Hefti, Jon Hendricks and Dave Lambert, so naturally the sisters sound like L, H & R. Fairytale is another Pointer original, a country-flavored tune that became the album's single. Black Coffee is elegantly sad; an ultimate small-hours blues that closes with scat vocals. Love in Them There Hills is an energetic rocker stretched to epic length by a hypnotic refrain that eventually tails off one band member at a time, leaving just voices. A superb track!

SIDE ONE
[5:39] Bangin' On the Pipes/Steam Heat
[5:10] Salt Peanuts
[4:49] Grinning in Your Face
[4:41] Shaky Flat Blues
[3:42] That's a Plenty/Surfeit, U.S.A.

SIDE TWO
[4:43] Little Pony
[5:04] Fairytale
[6:07] Black Coffee
[8:30] Love In Them There Hills

TOTAL TIME: 48:25