november 18, 2022

Van McCoy - The Disco Kid (1975) (LP) - €10,00

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'The Disco Kid' is very much an album of its time. It has not dated as well as say the later Disco cuts by, Chic but if you want an album that evokes the sound of early 70's commercial soul with the beginnings of Disco thrown in then this is worth discovering.

The title track opens the album and its a percussive Disco cut with a chanted chorus - a feature of a lot of Van's records around this time. It's not really out and out 'Disco' but a cross between that and the kind of Hugo & Luigi backing tracks that, The Stylisics had so much success with. 'Im Gonna Love You' is a more pop/soul slow song. Written by Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil, it has class and could easily have been a single. 'Change With The Times', which comes next was a single and is about the most danceable cut on the record. It's not 'instant' like Van's other hits but is percussive and proves to be a definite grower. I'm not surprised, however that it wasn't a hit at the time.

'Love Child' sails a bit close to the kind of schmaltz that Hugo & Luigi often delivered but is just enough on the right side of things to be an enjoyable mid-tempo cut. 'The Walk', however decent in its own right, is this records re-record of 'The Hustle' and it is Van's insistence to re-write both that and his 'The Shuffle' hits almost every record that drags this down a star - 'Keep On Hustlin' being yet another take on these themes...

'Earthquake' is certainly different but is more of an album cut but 'Roll With The Punches' is a memorable uptempo song. 'Good Night Baby', which completes the album is the closest Van gets to The Stylistics sound and 'Words Spoken Softly At Midnight' is soothing but isn't one to stick in your mind for long.

Overall, 'The Disco Kid' is a fine timepiece. It would be better without the two re-written hits but I guess that was the formula back in the 70's once you struck gold in the charts!


Side one
1.  The Disco Kid - 3:23  
2.  I’m Gonna Love You - 3:27  
3.  Change With The Times - 3:16  
4.  Love Child - 3:08  
5.  The Walk - 3:41  

Side two
1.  Earthquake - 4:44  
2.  Words Spoken Softly At Midnight - 3:00  
3.  Roll With The Punches - 3:06  
4.  Keep On Hustlin’ - 3:57  
5.  Good Night, Baby - 3:58  


Companies, etc.

Notes
Release:  1975
Format:  LP
Genre:  Soul, Funk
Label:  AVCO Records
Catalog#  AV 69009

Vinyl:  Excellent
Cover:  Excellent

Prijs: €10,00

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