September 11 street date. In a genre that has classically been driven primarily by hot 12" singles, it can sometimes be hard to find a disco album that delivers the goods from end to end - let alone a disco LP that could be described as "perfect". Cultures of Soul Records presents Sparkle's self-titled album, which many disco aficionados would put into this category. Sparkle was a female vocal trio from Connecticut, assembled by the producer Harold Sargent, erstwhile drummer of the sterling funk band Wood, Brass & Steel, and creator of manifold drum breaks that would go on to be sampled for decades. Originally released in 1979, the album and the group are fittingly titled as the music is a scintillating, radiant collection of shimmering disco and dazzling funk, performed by Too Much Too Soon - the multiracial R&B band that featured Evan Rogers and Carl Sturken, the writing/ production team that would discover Rihanna and power her career to global dominance fifteen years later.
September 11 street date. In a genre that has classically been driven primarily by hot 12" singles, it can sometimes be hard to find a disco album that delivers the goods from end to end - let alone a disco LP that could be described as "perfect". Cultures of Soul Records presents Sparkle's self-titled album, which many disco aficionados would put into this category. Sparkle was a female vocal trio from Connecticut, assembled by the producer Harold Sargent, erstwhile drummer of the sterling funk band Wood, Brass & Steel, and creator of manifold drum breaks that would go on to be sampled for decades. Originally released in 1979, the album and the group are fittingly titled as the music is a scintillating, radiant collection of shimmering disco and dazzling funk, performed by Too Much Too Soon - the multiracial R&B band that featured Evan Rogers and Carl Sturken, the writing/ production team that would discover Rihanna and power her career to global dominance fifteen years later.
Excl. - Already featured in our acclaimed Dream Babes 60’s Brit Girl series , on Beat Chic as Christine Holmes, we catch up with Christine again as she dons the glitter to become Kristine Sparkle, Glam contender in early 70’s UK popdom. Already a household familiar by this point as the co presenter on TVs Crackerjack show Kristine released a steady stream of singles via Polydor and Decca from the late 60’s onwards. In 1974 came the LP IMAGE which forms the basis for this RPM Retrodisc release. A fantastic time piece that includes a foot stomping hand clapping version of the Beatles Eight Days A Week, a true Junkshop Glam classic. Also here is a track with BA Robertson, Five Sisters, and more great JSG treatments of Baby I Love You, In His Kiss, Gonna Get Along Without You Know, Loving You Is Driving Me Crazy. All somewhere between the sweetness of Lynsey de Paul and rocking Suzi Quatro. The LP was produced and arranged by David Mackay, a link with Cliff Richard’s imported recording and performing team from Australia, including importantly Terry Britten. Kristine and Terry subsequently wrote and recorded the song Devil Woman. Later selected by Cliff and management to be recorded for an album, and through twists of fate, eventually to be a single a-side for Cliff in 1976. It has become one of his 70’s signature tunes, and it is great to hear the original context via Kristine’s own recording. Pussycat Tiger and Sweet Talking Dan were further standouts from her second album called ‘I’m A Song’ in 1976, and are included as bonuses here. All tracks are on CD for the first time. Includes original of Devil Woman Junkshop Glam at it’s finest
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