Gloria Gaynor - Never Can Say Goodbye (1975)

The great disco album of 1975 - this was a game changing album which was a pre-cursor for the genre to come - long instrumental passages with the song in their somewhere.  It's said that Gloria wasn't best pleased when she heard the results (due to her lack of presence for most of the time) but she was wrong this is a great album particularly side A which features just sublime disco versions of Reach Out, Honey Bee and Never Can Say Goodbye.  Here's a radio interview with her and producer Tom Moulton about the making of this.

Extract from Norman Jay's BBC "Story Of Disco" part two  

There is a CD release on this with a number of added songs - worth every penny (probably cent as you'll end up getting from the US)

Here's a review of the LP when released in 1975 from Blues and Soul.

 UK: MGM 2315 321

(cover shown is US version but same art was used - see my second hand purchase price!)

Detroit Emeralds - Abe, James and Ivory (1973)

From The Lost Record Covers Club The Emeralds saw their catalogues issued in a number of ways during the early 1970s.  They hit with "Feel The Need In Me" and that drove the release of an album of the same name with a brown cover (this was on Janus). Then an album called "You Want It You Got It"  to capitalise on the next hit with a cover featuring a woman in a fur coat (found it!) issued on Westbound. All three feature the same tracks but this is my favourite set.  On Westbound and bringing together some of the newer material and poular sateside tracks like "Wear This Ring (With Love)".  The track "I Think Of You "  drove sales of this particular issue.  There is a very comprehensive Cd compilation out on Westbound (not sure who that's through these days). Westbound (via Philips/PolyGram) - 6309 101 (Rebought at a record fair for £8) Here are some ads from Blues and Soul Magazine - Summer 1973