Artist: Leon Ware
Title: Musical Massage
Label: Gordy (Motown subsidiary)
Year: 1976
Format: Vinyl LP (Original)
Review
If you like sex, making love, and/or that other thing…then you will LOVE this record! Front to back, start to finish this is an amazing piece of work, in my opinion it’s Leon Ware’s top LP. Ware has an amazing ear for detail in his music, and his arrangements on every front in this album prove it…vocals, strings, and rhythm sections come together beautifully here. Ten tracks to get you through the night with the one you love…or the one you’re simply gettin’ it poppin’ with. Interesting story about this record is that it’s the cousin album to Marvin Gaye’s I Want You which was released the same year with the same label…and completely produced by none other than Leon Ware. Many people would agree that I Want You is Marvin’s sickest LP (thanks to Ware), along with What’s Going On?. This album says a lot about Ware as an individual, he showed us who he is with this album, and really showed us how to bring love-making through music…baby makin’ music.
Learning How To Love You
Musical Massage
Design
This cover visually shows us a musical massage (as those are the hands of Ware, who is providing us the music). Pleasing to the eye, this is an amazing cover! The photographer, Sam Emerson captured the perfect lighting…making sure to light the curves of the female subjects body, a beautiful one I might add. The LP cover folds just before the boot–well you get the point…but it’s intriguing overall. Simple type used here, Helvetica caps, in a chocolate brown resembling that of the subjects skin tone…subtle sweetness. And did anybody else notice the tracking of the words “Musical” and “Massage” to parallel beneath “LEON” and “WARE”? (clean!). In closing, like every other aspect of this record, the cover design screams BABY MAKIN’ MUSIC!
Posted by: Darien of flwrpt
Hustler Gambler Scrambler.
Artist: Johnny Hammond
Title: Gambler’s Life
Label: Salvation
Year: 1974
Format: Vinyl LP (Original)
Review
One of my favorite records all-time. STORY…Mike, here at FLWRPT, actually got me hip to this joint right here…I had been hunting for this track titled “Back to the Projects”, but I had no clue who it was, what era it was from, nothing! So one day we’re shootin’ the breeze, talkin’ records and whatnot when I bring this up, and Mike’s like…”Yo, I got that record! Hold on I’ll play it…”, sure enough it was the cut I had been after. The rest was history, I went diggin’ ASAP for this record, Gambler’s Life. Produced by none other than the GREATEST…Sky High Productions, better known as the Mizell Brothers, legends. This record was a lot different than the traditional jazz that Johnny Hammond was accustomed to, but he couldn’t deny the funky sound that the Mizell Brothers were blessing the music industry with at the time. This is one of those albums where you can’t sit still while listening, MURDEROUS drum breaks, soulful yet subtle harmonizing, and of course, KILLER work on the electric piano and synthesizer by the great Johnny Hammond…who was said to be one of THE quickest pianists in the business during his era.
Back To The Projects
Star Borne
Design
I like the simplicity of this album cover. The image of the flame-swallower is pretty sick, accompanied by an album titled Gambler’s Life. There is no detail or emphasis put onto the face of the subject, which is cool…just his action. On another note, I love the font that designer Sibbie McDonough used here, and if I had to guess…I would say that she used Baskerville (or Garamond)…don’t quote me on that! HAHA! But in the end, it’s a nice font that contrasts the power of the image and plays its roll, while still having impact on the design. Gotta love that four-column grid on the back cover!
Posted by: Darien of flwrpt