CD Reissue Review: The Dells 'Sweet As Funk Can Be'

[PeaceNHarmony]

‘Sweet As Funk Can Be’ is The Dells’ 9^th LP overall and the 7^th LP issued during the group’s glory years at Cadet Records. Produced, arranged, and conducted by the under-recognized Charles Stepney, this 1972 release proved to be somewhat of an underperformer after the group’s masterwork ‘Freedom Means’and its extraordinary [[though admittedly odd …) follow-up ‘The Dells Sing Dionne Warwicke’s Greatest Hits’.

Stepney viewed the ultra-talented Dells as a unit that could take the hit-single-and-filler r&b LP to a higher artistic level. ‘SAFCB’ forwards his vision into a suite of 7 original songs by Terry Callier and Larry Wade with 1 cover [[Bacharach & David’s ‘The Look Of Love’) interspersed with a prologue and 7 ‘segues’ written by Callier and Stepney, featuring spoken word raps and vocalizations bythe group. These pieces rather weigh the listening experience down these 40+ years later but in no way take away from the glory and vocal majesty that is The Dells at their best.

There are utterly heart-stopping ballads on this release[[‘Do What You Gotta Do Babe’ and ‘Just As Long As We Have Love’ being the standouts that shoulda-been major hits) as well as the great up-tempo ‘Windy City Soul’. There’s really not a bad, or even minor, song on this LP and the vocal dynamics between leads Marvin Junior and Johnny Carter, perhaps the major under-rated vocal dynasty of the R&R era, remain unparalleled - and the Stepney arrangements are superb as always.

“Sweet As Funk Can Be’ is a 2016 release by Playback Records and its purchase is HIGHLY recommended! Can ‘Give Your Baby A Standing Ovation’ be next?? One can hope!