JOHNNIE TAYLOR – RATED EXTRAORDINAIRE / EVER READY

A massive double header – two great albums back to back! Rated Extraordinaire is our favorite album ever from Johnnie Taylor – an incredible set from the late 70s that really has Taylor reinventing his sound – and coming across as a great talent for a mellow groove! The album has a wonderful smooth soul vibe all the way through – and starts with the classic "Your Love Is Rated X", a sweet little stepper with a hook that's totally great, and a groove that goes on and on and on – one of those cuts we can hear for years, and it still never gets old! Don Davis produced the whole thing – in a way that balances the raspy roots of Taylor's vocals with the tighter changes going on in late 70s soul – a balance that he was always good at, but possibly never served up this well again. In addition to "Your Love Is Rated X", other titles include "And I Panicked", "Did He Make Love To You", "Love Is Better In The AM", "It Ain't What You Do", "Here I Go", and "Stop Giving People Hard Luck Stories".

Ever Ready is a sweet set from Johnnie Taylor's late 70s run on Columbia Records – and a set with a definite groove for the dancefloors! The album' was recorded in Detroit, and features some sparkling production from Don Davis – very much in that Detroit-into-disco mode that Davis was pushing strongly at the time – in a way that was smooth overall, but still let the singers keep all the edge and personality in their vocals! Arrangements are by Rudy Robinson, in collaboration with a number of others – and titles include "Hey Mister Melody Maker", "Ever Ready", "Keep On Dancing", "Give Me My Baby", "Soul Fillet", "I Love To Make Love When It's Raining", and "Bittersweet Love".

:::: SOURCE: Dusty Groove ::::