Warning-Danger - Cissy Houston

Throughout the history of R&B, there have been major talents who made great secular recordings but ultimately gave up secular music because they felt that gospel was their calling. Whitney Houston's mother Cissy Houston is such an artist. Although Cissy Houston provided some of the finest recordings of the Disco Era, she eventually decided that being a disco diva wasn't her calling and became a full-time gospel artist. Houston's approach to disco wasn't a Euro-disco approach a la Cerrone, the Silver Convention, Love and Kisses, the Munich Machine or early Donna Summer--rather, Warning--Danger is an LP that emphasizes disco's northern soul and gospel roots. Like Gloria Gaynor, Loleatta Holloway and Linda Clifford, Houston is a gritty, big-voiced belter who made sure that her late 1970s disco recordings had maximum soul appeal. When she passionately tears into "Think It Over" (a dance club favorite), "Somebody Should Have Told Me" and the title song, Houston sounds like she's well aware of disco's Motown and Philadelphia International heritage. Produced by Michael Zager (of "Let's All Chant" fame), Warning--Danger is essential listening for those who like their disco/soul with a lot of grit. ~ Alex Henderson, All Music Guide