Whatever you do, do NOT order a copy of this on the Vision label...the pressing quality of this – and everything else on that label – was horrific. Even Blues & Soul commented on the fact early in 1988 when it reached the import specialists that as fast as the LPs were flying out the shops they were flying back again! Trust me, they were BAD. But if you love the “romance” of vinyl then I suppose you'd be OK! LOL. CBS were savvy enough to snatch up the rights for a UK release but they did take their time in releasing it! It was worth the wait and it was great to be able to own the album on CD here in the UK, as well as vinyl. Al Broomfield, as you are aware, comes from a big family with an even bigger talent. Related to Vincent “Audio” Broomfield and Eugene and Dee Dee Wilde, this superb singer could not fail to impress soul fans with his sophisticated brand of Miami flavoured soul. Check out these choices – they are simply breathtaking. My first choice is “Where Do We Go From Here”; spellbinding, warm and without any complicated arrangements. It's simple, plain unadulterated Miami soul courtesy of the Betty Wright school of soul and this cannot be bettered. “Is It So Hard” is complete quality. Al really has the ability to create magic with his smooth voice and the haunting synths and bubbly rhythm allow him to simply float...what a talent! I also love the melancholic and saxy “Throughout All The Years” which almost has a contemporary Bacharach / Bayer-Sager feel to it. Delicious, and also very toothsome is the popular radio cut “Don't Cover Up Your Feelings”. An amazing cut, this actually saw light of day in the UK as a specially priced extended 12” single. That is also well worth checking out as it has an instrumental version too! Finally, I choose “Light Up The World”, a big song with a big heart and a really strong message within it. Soul music rarely comes better than this, so if you don't have this album then check it out...on CBS!
Barry Towler
The Vibe Scribe
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