Sister Sledge Albums (12)
'Center Stage: Live'
Release Date 6/20/2000
Tracks 10
Label Direct Source
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What The Critics Say
One of Sister Sledge's finest achievements came in 1997, when the Philadelphia siblings recorded the overlooked African Eyes. While Sister Sledge had long since passed its commercial peak, this CD made it clear that the group still had a lot to say musically. Reflective and highly spiritual, African Eyes often recalls Earth, Wind & Fire's '70s output and sometimes combines soul and funk with elements of world music. In fact, the uplifting tone of "World Rise & Shine," "The Unraveling" and "Walking in the Light" gives you an idea what Sister Sledge might have sounded like if the sisters had worked with Maurice White in the late '70s instead of various Philadelphia producers and Chic leaders Nile Rodgers and Bernard Edwards. Some of the material, however, isn't EW&F-ish, but instead, offers an unlikely blend of R&B and folk. Folk-ish touches find their way to "Love's Abyss" and "Cry for Soweto," a beautiful reflection on the political evolution of South Africa. But as much as African Eyes has going for it, the album was ignored by mainstream radio and failed to do very much commercially. In fact, it's safe to say that the vast majority of listeners who bought We Are Family and All American Girls didn't even hear about this album's release. ~ Alex Henderson, All Music Guide
'When the Boys Meet the Girls'
Release Date 1/1/1985
Tracks 9
Label Atlantic
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What The Critics Say
Their last album to hit the charts, 1985's When the Boys Meet the Girls found Sister Sledge attempting to return to past form as they brought Chic's Nile Rodgers back onboard to produce and perform. And although the move would ultimately prove ineffective, as the album appeared and hovered just out of the Top 50, this easy pairing returned the sisters to an earlier edge. With the title track backed by an eclectic arrangement, those classic punchy Sister Sledge vocals were pushed well into the front of the action. The album birthed two further standouts, as both "Frankie," which is spun to become reggae-lite, and the heavily Rodgers-influenced club hit "Dancing on the Jagged Edge" rippled off the grooves. The latter, just barely limping to a paltry number 73 R&B, would prove the band's last hit until their comeback in the early '90s. Elsewhere, the Kathy Sledge-led ballad "You Need Me" emerges the best of the bunch, while the snappy "Peer Pressure" wades into wave territory, leaving the frenetic and not-quite-pleasing "Hold out Poppy" well out of the loop. When the Boys Meet the Girls is a fine effort, but this late in the day it just doesn't pull enough tricks out of the hat to make it worthwhile. And even through it's a major step up from their last effort, Sister Sledge is far better sampled across their earlier R&B heyday. ~ Amy Hanson, All Music Guide
'Bet Cha Say That to All the Girls'
Release Date 1/1/1983
Tracks 10
Label WEA
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What The Critics Say
With veteran jazzman-turned-funker George Duke at the production helm and a plethora of well-known musicians -- including Al Jarreau, Michael Sembello, and Jeffrey Osborne -- arrayed behind them, a late-in-the-day Sister Sledge released Bet Cha Say That to All the Girls to moderate success in 1983. While the band's blend of light urban dance was certainly urbane, the sisters were well past the days of the powerhouse R&B diva posturing that brought them to the top of the charts in the 1970s. Sister Sledge was instead bent on bright pop. Leading with the strong charting single "B.Y.O.B. (Bring Your Own Baby)," the rest of Bet Cha Say That to All the Girls unreeled in much the same manner. The superb harmonies and lush strings and horns swing from smooth R&B to light funk and back to classic mainstream pop with ease, as the beautiful ballad "Once in Your Life" and the funky closer "Thank You for the Party," as well as the title track, emerge as the album's real highlights. With perhaps a little too much emphasis placed on a light, bright sound which ultimately sacrifices substance, it's no surprise that this set foundered. Too much sugar can spoil even the sweetest dessert. ~ Amy Hanson, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Sister Sledge seized the production reins, but weren't able to equal Chic's sophistication or success. This album included a decent remake of Mary Wells' "My Guy," the original version of "All The Man That I Need" (later made a number one hit by Whitney Houston) and the curious "Il Macquillage Lady," but it seemed like a return to the unfocused, erratic music they had previously recorded. There was some fine vocal work on "Grandma" and "Jacki's Theme: There's No Stopping Us," but things had worsened for groups with a disco reputation, and there were few takers for this record. "My Guy" did crack the R&B Top 20. ~ Ron Wynn, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
After recording two albums under the direction of Chic leaders Nile Rodgers and Bernard Edwards, Sister Sledge surprised the R&B world by working with Narada Michael Walden on All American Girls. The Philadelphia siblings had become identified with the Chic sound, and were ready for a change. It was a gamble that paid off artistically more than commercially. Far from a bomb but not as successful as it deserved to be, the album (reissued on CD in 1995 with informative liner notes by music journalist Gary Jackson) boasts its share of gems, including the hit title song (which, ironically, does have a few Chic-ish touches), the rock-influenced "He's Just a Runaway" and the infectiously funky "Make a Move." Interestingly, "Runaway" didn't became a hit until given a reggae remix that isn't nearly as exciting as the version heard on All American Girls, clearly one of the group's finest accomplishments. ~ Alex Henderson, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Although Sister Sledge had already peaked with their 1979 powerhouse We Are Family LP, they returned in the first half of 1980 with Love Somebody Today. Not quite as successful as its predecessor, but still showcasing the group's remarkable vocal strength, the album foundered primarily because it hit the brick wall laid down by the burgeoning disco backlash, but still managed to peak at number seven on the R&B charts in March. Partnered for the second go-round with Chic's Bernard Edwards and Nile Rodgers, who wrote and produced all the songs, Sister Sledge spun out a sophisticated, slick set of smooth, mid-tempo R&B that concentrated on the sisters' vocals, leaving the musical arrangements in the background. Both the title track, which proved the album's only major hit, and the melancholy "You Fooled Around" emerged as the set's high points. Elsewhere, "Reach Your Peak" is a surprising combination of disco and jazz, leaving both "I'm a Good Girl" and "How to Love" to weigh in on the ballad front. It would have been hard for Sister Sledge to surpass the monstrously good one-two punch of "We Are Family" and "He's the Greatest Dancer." And, not surprisingly, much of Love Somebody Today sounds flat in comparison. But still, the sounds of Sister Sledge at the peak of their star power are better than much of the pap that passed for pop at the time. ~ Amy Hanson, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Before 1979's We Are Family, Sister Sledge wasn't a huge name in the R&B/disco world. The group had enjoyed a small following and scored a few minor hits, including "Love, Don't You Go Through No Changes on Me" in 1974 and "Blockbuster Boy" in 1977. But it wasn't until We Are Family that the Philadelphia siblings finally exploded commercially, and the people they have to thank for their commercial success are Chic leaders Nile Rodgers and Bernard Edwards. The Rodgers/Edwards team handles all of the writing, producing, and arranging on this album; so not surprisingly, almost everything on We Are Family is very Chic-sounding. That is true of the sexy "He's the Greatest Dancer" and the anthemic, uplifting title song (both of which soared to #1 on the R&B charts), as well as excellent album tracks like the lush "Easier to Love," the perky "One More Time," and the addictive "Thinking of You." The least Chic-sounding tune on the album is the ballad "Somebody Loves Me," which favors a classic sweet soul approach and is the type of song one would have expected from Thom Bell, Gamble & Huff, or Holland-Dozier-Holland rather than Rodgers/Edwards. Meanwhile, the intoxicating "Lost in Music" (a #35 R&B hit) is about as Chic-sounding as it gets. When Rhino reissued We Are Family on CD in 1995, it added four bonus tracks, all of which are remixes of either the title song or "Lost in Music." These remixes are intriguing; it's interesting to hear late '70s classics turned into high-tech 1990s dance-pop. But they are less than essential, and the original versions are by far the best -- how can you improve on perfection? Both creatively and commercially, We Are Family is Sister Sledge's crowning achievement. ~ Alex Henderson, All Music Guide
