Customer Reviews

Who Do Ya Love

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

 

 

First, KC never made "disco". Dance music, that's what this is. But even for a non-dancer like me this feels GREAT! I've never heard horn sections like the one KC used, or think of Richard Finch's bass, KC's keys: terrific. You either want to be there drumming with the band or move your ..... feet. You got no other choice. This music makes you feel happy all over.

I don't like Best Of's so I was So Happy when this one came out. An underrated album at the time. Sure, KC repeats the chorus until you humm it in your sleep, but still he always makes me feel happy. My favorite track: Sho Nuff' - a bit different from the usual KC up-tempo songs. But hey, what do you say to the "Boom" at the start? and then those horns? OOOOoooh they hit you right on the spot. Come To My Island is soooo nice, the laid back guitar, dreaming of the sunshine, a nice girl by your side, what more can you want? But what am I telling you here, words can't express the feeling triggering your butt - or like with me, the non-dancer, the smiles. KC will forever make you happy. And while you're at it, also check out "Do It Good", "KC and the Sunshine Band", "Part 3", Jimmy "Bo" Horne, George McCrae.

KC and the Sunshine Band has been unfairly stereotyped as a "disco" band, but their music was actually a fusion of American R&B with Caribbean music. The guitarist was of Bahamian descent, the percussionist was born in Cuba, and the rest of the band grew up in Miami, where they heard island rhythms all the time.

Don't let the drab, spacey cover fool you: "Who Do Ya Love" is the Sunshine Band's most tropically-influenced and least dance-oriented album, and one of my favorites. The styles represented here include calypso ("Come To My Island" and "I Will Love You Tomorrow"), Motown (a cover of the Four Tops' "It's the Same Old Song") and, believe it or not, reggae ("How About a Little Love."). The opener, "Do You Feel Allright," is propelled by the congas, an awesome circular rhythm guitar riff, and some multi-tracked syllabic singing at the end. And "So Glad" features a rare electric piano solo by KC!

I am thrilled to see this unjustly forgotten album from 1978 on CD. If you can't make it to the islands this year, put on this CD and pretend you're there.

Every superstar/supergroup has a first flop, and for K.C. and the Sunshine Band, "Who Do Ya Love" was just that. Strangely, not much had (really) changed between the HUGELY successful predecessor, "Part 3" and this one, however, what WAS changing was the music. "Who Do Ya Love," for some odd reason lacked the punch of "Part 3" and the eponymous, "K.C. and the Sunshine Band," both of which had their share of MONSTER R&B hits. It could be that K.C. and the Sunshine Band were tired and needed to take a year off to recharge? Instead, they released this follow-up which seemed to lack what brought them to R&B/Pop prominence in the first place.

There is no "Boogie Man" or "Booty" here. In fact, the closest we even get to that is in the 2nd cut, "Sho-Nuff," which has those precise, punchy horns we have all come to love.

Another golden moment which sadly backfired is in the album's first single, a remake of the soul chestnut, "It's the Same Old Song," which features some of K.C.'s most soulful and spirited singing. Sadly, the first single revealed (in its title alone) just how truthful this sentiment really was for K.C. and the band then. It was DEFINITELY the same old song and time for a new direction, which was taken in this album's followup, the awesome, "Do You Wanna Go Party," which brought them their first #1 hit Pop hit in the form of a ballad in "Please Don't Go." A final huge Dance/Pop hit followed in 1983 with "Give It Up."

KC'S Who Do Ya Love was the first album by this group that i literally could not put down. Even as a child i had the album (yes i am that old) and i played it over and over on my record player(what's a record daddy?).

It was the best album by this group and still makes me wish for that decade to return. My father enjoys this music still up to this day.

"I Will Love You Tomorrow" is the best track and will forever be the song that i associate them with.

Those of you who feel nostalgic for the 70's should own a copy of this album you will not regret it.