Disco Tex and the Sex-O-Lettes Albums (3)
What The Critics Say
For fans of "Get Dancin'," the 1974 hit by hairdressing-chain magnate Joseph Montanez, Jr., aka Sir Monti Rock III, aka Disco Tex, the follow-up album, Manhattan Millionaire, is totally written and produced by singer/songwriter Kenny Nolan. As you can imagine, it has flavors borrowed from the first single, and little nods to the Philly sound and Barry White. Why there are instrumentals on this is the question, because Sir Monti Rock III's gay humor was part of the fun of the first single. His wig isn't wet here, though his hair is a mess on the front and back cover -- he should've stuck to the cartoons which decorated the first album. Surprisingly, this is a decent record, and it is Monti Rock who makes it special. His silliness in "Jimbo Salsa" is what makes the tune a performance, and what adds to the disc. Though "Hey There Little Firefly" might be a strong instrumental from the songwriter who penned Lady Marmalade, Frankie Valli's "My Eyes Adored You," and Monti's first hit, "Get Dancin'," the zaniness that attracted the dance crowd to that really funny hit single is what Manhattan Millionaire was supposed to be all about -- not the somber mood of Nolan's own hits, "Love's Grown Deep" or his smash "I Like Dreamin'." "Dancin' Kid" sounds like K.C. & the Sunshine Band performing the Temptation's "Cloud Nine." It's a strange concoction with T.S.O.P. imitations abounding. Backing vocalists aren't credited, and perhaps original Sex-O-Lette Cindy Bullens is on here. "Ride a Wild Horse" is a sexual adventure copping Donna Summer's riffs from the year before's "Love to Love You Baby." Sir Monti Rock III is nowhere to be found on it, and the female (?) vocalist is uncredited. That's amusing, because the photographer and designer are! Clearly Kenny Nolan had this track in his production archives and needed a place to put it. Disposable disco that is listenable, but lacking the star of the show. It's too bad, becauseMonti Rock had personality, and that personality should have been exploited better on this second album. ~ Joe Viglione, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
A cast of thousands...well, almost, on Bob Crewe's campy outing with hairdresser Sir Monti Rock III, a.k.a. Joseph Montanez, Jr. Disco Tex gets four of the eleven tracks on what is actually a disco compilation album with Jerry Corbetta from Sugarloaf leading off the festivities. This ain't "Green Eyed Lady," though Corbetta charted with "Don't Call Us, We'll Call You" in February of 1975, simultaneous with this album. Corbetta is but a warm up for the main event, the guitar riff inviting the audience into the catchy melody of the Sex-O-Lettes' fake applause and heavy drum sound. The genius of this recording is two-fold, Bob Crewe keeping a rock and roll sound as the bed for this pseudo disco, and the entire two sides having the same beat, allowing for dance jocks to drop the needle on any portion of this album and get continuous sound. In that respect, the follow-up, Manhattan Millionaire fails to recapture this short-lived glory. The "Jam Band" consists of The Toys co-producer Denny Randell, arranger Bruce Miller, Bob Crewe and others. Where Kenny Nolan composed the entire Manhattan Millionaire follow-up project, Bob Crewe co-writes all the material here: two songs with Kenny Nolan, including the big hit, "Get Dancin' ," Name Up In Lights" with Alan Shatkin, and eight with Denny Randell including "Shirley Wood," part of a four song medley, this one co-written with Letty Jo Randell, and performed by The Sex O-Lettes, which feature underground singer/ legend, Cindy Bullens. Bullens is Bob Crewe's sister-in-law, having married manager Daniel Crewe who represented his brother along with mastering wizard Bob Ludwig. Have we got that straight? Marketed initially to a gay audience, Disco Tex's limp wrist on the front cover drenched in dangling gold is more flagrant in-your-face camp than stereotype. His ridiculous "I'm turning myself on" and "my chiffon is wet" comments inside "Get Dancin' are half the fun. But with all the trappings, it is too bad this is really a one-off project, the Manhattan Millionaire sequel fun but not as compelling as the novelty dance tune which shook up the clubs and radio signals in December of 1974. The album was unleashed in 1975 and the lead off track on side two, "I Wanna Dance Wit' Choo (Doo Dat Dance)" got into the Top 25, no doubt on the strength of the disco floors. Hearing Freddy "Boom Boom" Cannon after ten years exactly off the pop charts is fun, and the tracks with LuAnn Simms, Jerry Corbettaand The Chocolate Kisses round out the album very well. Interesting that no one has really copped this idea of one continuous party with different guest stars for use in other musical styles. Disco was not fully embraced by the rock crowd, understandably so, but Bob Crewe found a way to merge the two worlds, and there's no denying this is a classic of the genre. ~ Joe Viglione, All Music Guide
