the stylistics

TS: Gamble & Huff vs. Thom Bell

Saw a recent version of the Stylistics a few years ago in DC and they sounded pretty good still.

their disco turn, "Fabulous," is a fucking wonderful album, although dude's falsetto is mixed at pretty piercing levels - anyhow, their "I Can't Help Falling In Love With You" is nine kinds of awesome

I will now list the nine kinds

1) roquefort

2) fishing stick

3) mantovani

4) technicolor

5) Kraft

6) Ebbing

7) Flowing

8) Dave Mason

GOT SO MUCH STYLE I SHOULD BE DOWN WITH THE STYLISTICS

9) only the Rosicrucians actually know what the ninth kind is, I lied when I said I could list them all

I had always thought Dave Mason was the gold standard...

their s/t debut is total classic, the bomb etc etc

(actually dave mason's first LP ain't bad either...)

have to admit, always confused these guys with Blue Magic and the Delfonics...(all of whom put together make for kind of a "Sarah Records" micro-genre of soul/r&b)...

Don't forget Tony Toni Tone's homage to "Betcha By Golly Wow": "Holy Smokes & Gee Whiz."

The Stylistics are GODZ and anybody who don't agree is a tone-deaf fucknut.

yeah if the trumpet and strings at the start of I CAN'T GIVE YOU ANYTHING don't bring joy to your heart then there's *categorically* something wrong with you. my mum just saw them on tour and they've still got moves to die for by all accounts.

http://www.thestylistics.org/

I saw a version of the Stylistics in 2005 at a show billed as "The '70s Soul Jam" (With Ted Mills from Blue Magic, Cuba Gooding Sr., the Bluenotes,plus the Delfonics and Chi-lites. Only two of the four Stylistics were original members, but they still had their timeless top of the scale lead with backing harmony technique working nice. With synthesizers and a rhythm section providing an orchestral background, they suavely did velvet-smooth takes on “Stop, Look, Listen (to Your Heart),” and “Break Up to Make Up.”

Thompkins' vocal on the verses for "I Can't Give You Anything" is the most beautiful singing I've ever heard.

trashman didn't get my trash today!

oh why, because they want more pay!

thom bell was such a genius. forget it

In 1975 their greatest hits album was Britain's biggest seller and here's what I have to say about it.

Time for Volume 2, and an attempt to pull some loose blog threads together:

http://nobilliards.blogspot.co.uk/2012/06/stylistics-best-of-stylistics-volume-ii.html

Usual Sunday morning reminder.

The Best Of The Stylistics is the greatest album of all time

Even though it's over-arranged with a weird sounding lead vocal, I love their version of Can't Help Falling In Love.

are we to gather that You'll Never Get To Heaven was on *neither* of the original Best Ofs? that's weird.

i still love that back cover from 'The Best Of'

http://s.dsimg.com/image/R-1137740-1308816163.jpeg

Surprisingly, no - it's not on either of them. It would be interesting to see a proper Rhino-style Stylistics anthology collection on CD but I'm not sure one has ever been compiled; there have been 2CD best-ofs but they've not really been satisfactory.

All Stylistics is necessary!

Current version of the group is still touring. They're at DAR Constitution hall in DC on Valentines day the 14th along with the Emotions, Dramatics, Blue Magic, and New Birth. Per above I saw 'em there in 2005

And just saw 'em again at DAR in 2015 last night. Yea, yea I know, only 2 original members, and they brought in the current lead Eban Brown from a version of the Delfonics in 2000. Yea, yea, its not like listening to the original vinyl. But its fun, they have the choreographed hand and leg movements down and Eban hits that falsetto just right on the old cuts. There's a thrill in hearing these songs live that's really special.

The post-Thom Bell albums aren't bad, either - very evocative & intimate in that seventies way. I'm not a fan of ballads but this stuff is so atmospheric and non-bombastic.

"I'd like to someday be the owner of
The first house on the moon
There would be no neighbors
And no population boom"

Uh, what?

"You are Everything" might be my favorite song ever

it's a good one, for sure.

i've always really liked this song. that guitar playing is just (chef's kiss)

"Stop, Look, Listen (To Your Heart)" might be my favorite song ever

That's a great one, and I love the coordinated choreography they do for it live

My goodness, but those first two (possibly three) albums are so great.

otm