Tavares Albums (13)
What The Critics Say
Pop fans who associate Tavares with "Heaven Must Be Missing an Angel" and the Bee Gees' "More Than a Woman" tend to think of it as a disco group. But Tavares' roots were Northern soul, and it was a classic Northern soul approach that first sent the Bostonians to the top of the R&B charts, not until Tavares' fourth album, Sky High!, did the quintet start to acquire a reputation as a disco act. With 1979's Madame Butterfly, Tavares seemed to be going out of its way to live down its disco reputation. The material is straight-up Northern soul, and nothing on this hell bent for R&B album is as disco-minded as "Heaven Must Be Missing an Angel" or "More Than a Woman." If you notice that much of Madame Butterfly is very Philadelphia-sounding, it's no coincidence, this excellent LP was produced by Bobby Martin, a Philadelphian who was highly regarded in Philly soul circles. Anyone who has spent hours and hours listening to the O'Jays, Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes, and the Intruders should have no problem getting into solid offerings like "My Love Calls," "Straight from the Heart," and the major hit "Never Had a Love Like This Before." If, in 1979, you were hoping to hear Tavares performing a lot of disco, you were bound to find Madame Butterfly disappointing. But those who wanted Tavares to stick to pure, unadulterated northern soul agreed that working with Martin was a very wise move. ~ Alex Henderson, All Music Guide
'Center Stage: Live'
Release Date 6/20/2000
Tracks 9
Label Direct Source
See Album Tracklist and Review
What The Critics Say
Released in 1978, Future Bound was the third album that Freddie Perren produced for Tavares and was the group's sixth album overall. Once again, Perren sees to it that Tavares provides a healthy blend of up-tempo dance numbers and romantic soul ballads. Those who savored "Heaven Must Be Missing an Angel" shouldn't have a problem getting into exuberant disco-soul items like "Slow Train to Paradise," "The Ghost of Love," and Tavares' hit version of the Bee Gees' "More Than a Woman" (which was available on the Saturday Night Fever soundtrack several months before Future Bound came out). Meanwhile, "Feel So Good" and "All I See Is You" are caressing Northern soul ballads that would have fit right in on a Stylistics, Delfonics, or Moments album. What was true of 1977's Love Storm is true of 1978's Future Bound: It falls short of essential but is a pleasing, likable LP nonetheless. ~ Alex Henderson, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Thanks to producer Freddie Perren, Tavares acquired a lot of disco gloss on their fourth album, Sky High! The producers Tavares had worked with on previous efforts -- first Johnny Bristol on Check It Out, then the Dennis Lambert/Brian Potter team on Hard Core Poetry and In the City -- saw them as primarily a Northern soul vocal quintet. Perren didn't forget about Tavares' Northern soul heritage, but he made sure that the up-tempo selections would appeal to disco audiences in a major way. The joyous "Heaven Must Be Missing an Angel" (a number three R&B hit) and the equally exuberant "Don't Take Away the Music" became dancefloor favorites, and pop fans who knew Tavares for those gems started to think of them as a disco group instead of a soul group. But it would be a mistake to believe that Sky High! isn't relevant to soul; in fact, "To the Other Man" and "Guiding Star" are exactly the type of smooth Northern soul ballads that had put Tavares on the map in 1973 and 1974. And "Don't Take Away the Music," like the Trammps' best recordings, is a perfect marriage of Philadelphia soul and Philadelphia disco -- it has just the right blend of grit and gloss. Sky High! may not be quite as essential as Hard Core Poetry, Check It Out, or In the City, but it was certainly a rewarding and often fun addition to Tavares' catalog. ~ Alex Henderson, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Because Johnny Bristol served Tavares so well on its debut album, Check It Out, it was logical to assume that he would be producing the group's next project. Instead, Tavares switched producers on its second album, Hard Core Poetry, and joined forces with the Dennis Lambert/Brian Potter team. Having worked with the Four Tops and others, Lambert and Potter had an impressive track record when it came to Northern soul, and they do right by Tavares on this excellent sophomore effort. In addition to producing the LP, Lambert and Potter handle most of the writing. The only track they didn't write is a cover of Hall & Oates' "She's Gone," which became a number one R&B hit for Tavares. All of the other tracks are Lambert/Potter compositions, and their writing is excellent on material that ranges from the dramatic "Too Late" and the sentimental "Remember What I Told You to Forget" (a number four R&B hit) to the inspiring "Someone to Go Home To." Full of gems, Hard Core Poetry is among Tavares' most essential albums. ~ Alex Henderson, All Music Guide
