All Things Deep - Reviews - Give Your Body Up volume 2

Various - Give Your Body Up vol.2

Years ago, reissue kings Rhino paid respect to the disco era with two series of compilations: The Disco Years and Give Your Body Up. Of the two, Years was more likely to focus on chart hits, cramming as many edited versions as they could fit on a single disc. Body, on the other hand, went deeper for its selections. Over three volumes, this series unearthed classics from Phreek, Fonda Rae and Loose Joints, many of them on cd for the first time.

Of the three, volume 2 gets my nod as the most consistent. Only ten tracks strong, the disc nonetheless shines the light on all aspects of club music: funk (Cymande), mellow soul (Womack and Womack), gospel-influenced (Sylvester), and outright dancefloor madness (Roy Ayers). Tom Moulton's 11-minute marathon mix of MFSB's "Love Is the Message" comes close to synthesizing all styles into a cohesive whole; it's not called the Granddaddy of Club Songs for nothing.

This is an excellent intro into the more obscure side of disco, required listening for those whose knowledge begins with the Bee Gees and ends with the Village People. Historian Brian Chin's notes offer additional insight into the music.

Released 1995 on Rhino

Selected Tracks:

Sylvester - Over and Over
MFSB - Love Is the Message
Womack and Womack - Baby I'm Scared of You
Ecstasy Passion and Pain - Touch and Go