The S.O.S. Band - Just The Way You Like It
I can't get enough of this.
The 'Sounds Of Success'. To be frank, this band help concluded a time when R&B jammed at its very best in the mid 80's. The groups, singers, vocalists, rappers, dancers, art forms, lifestyle was legit. The S.O.S. Band satisfied every reason why you should go for an afternoon cruise, take a walk down the blvd to get some ice cream or go holla at your homeys, sit outside on the porch with a glass of ice tea, chill on the basketball court & yell 'I got next', and so on. I miss all of that. Its the main reason why I keep lifting these albums back for The Urban Music Scene.
"Just The Way You Like It" said it all by itself. It spoke on my behalf actually. I liked it back when things were just a little bit simpler. Not regretting todays scene, but yesterday - in means of over 25 years ago, music made you move & think. It made you dance. It made you turn on the radio. Forget the cassette. It made you appreciate the clubs & the ladies who had class. It made me pull out the ironing board & get my slacks prepared for the ultimate crease. In a matter of fact, I paid more attention to clothes back then as compared to these stretches of jeans & long-sleeved shirts being worn outside your pants. Pants hanging down from the waistside. My Momma, if she was alive today, would have corrected that with a simple stare. Thats' all it took.
Enough of my ranting. This album has to be the best The SOS has ever put out. It should be Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis's best work to date. And the album only had 7 songs on it. Go figure.
Track Listing:
~ No One's Gonna Love You
~ Weekend Girl
~ Just The Way You Like It
~ Break Up
~ Feeling
~ I Don't Want Nobody Else
~ Body Break
Every weekend that came up, "Weekend Girl" was the first song repeated endlessly. I must have broken my cassette recorder over pressing rewind too much. My lady & I kicked it to this cut with a bottle of Boone's Farm. And if I still had the chance to chop it up with girl again, I'll run to the store to do it all over again. You can't tell me the way Lead singer Mary Davis lushessly spills her genuine vocal touch over that kick behind melody chorus hook didn't snatch you off the couch. Please!
"No One's Gonna Love You" was so mesmerizing, I had to have broken my cassette recorder. I don't believe any group today can resample this classic & not get told "you should've left that song alone!" Man, then to let the record surge into "Just The Way You Like It" should've been every reason why you should've gotten up & go to the BX, Kmart, whatever & buy it.
We didn't have those 4x or 10x high speed CD burners back then. Do you remember how long it took to high speed dub a cassette to another? Man it took forever. I could go cook something to eat, come back & it STILL wasn't complete.
Side B couldn't touch Side A. And I STILL thought this was the best album The SOS had put together. Over time, I eventually bought the MP3's, the greatest hits and so forth. But if there was a cheaper way to get this album on cassette or vinyl, I'd rather have that. No recommendation is required. You should already know about it.
Peace,
Charles F. Sherard
The Urban Music Scene
Charles, You review was on hit! But I would respectfully have to disagree with "Just The Way You Like It" being their best album. I have to go with "Sands Of Time" personally. Did somebody say "The Finest"?
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