The O'Jays: Love Fever : Music Reviews : Rolling Stone

Album Reviews

It's hard to remember how important O'Jays records used to be: during the early Seventies they were the flagship group of the most influential label in black music, Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff's Philadelphia International. Gold and platinum albums were fueled by pop hits like "Back Stabbers," "Love Train" and "Use ta Be My Girl."

Supported by the unmatched virility of MFSB's rhythm tracks, Bobby Martin's strings and Leon Huff's unreconstructed chitlin changes, Gamble's often heavy-handed black-capitalist sermonizing rarely cloyed. In the O'Jays, he found his perfect vehicle, owing to the built-in dialectic of Walter Williams' reedy leads and Eddie Levert's strangled answers.

The O'Jays' fortunes declined with the implosion of Philadelphia International and the dispersal of MFSB. Now they're back, revivified if not rejuvenated. Gamble and Bunny Sigler (standing in for Leon Huff) have brought in Reggie Griffin (of Chaka Khan fame) to play and coproduce some hip-pop moods behind Walt and Eddie and Sammy Strain. The blend sounds fine, but nowhere near as fine as the real-time churn of Ronnie Baker, Norman Harris and Earl Young, departed session studs. And Leon Huff, present only for a pair of MOR toe tappers (the filler on O'Jays albums of yore), is missed. Several cuts fall short of their prototypes ("All Eyes on Africa," "I Love America" and "What a Woman," out of "Work on Me," "Family Reunion" and "Sunshine," respectively). Several update the sound of the group pleasantly ("Love Fever" and "Can't Slow Down"). But only one cut, "Dollar Bill," synthesizes a new form out of Griffin's techno beat and Sigler's fatback soul – and even that doesn't stand with past classics.

The O'Jays are sounding good, and it's good to have them back. But will they ever really matter again? The history of black vocal groups suggests not, but the life force so strong at the center of the Philly Sound gives hope.