Chic have had a very rough and unfair press in my humble opinion, especially in the soul world. Many see them as a pure Disco group, and I have heard them lame and lightweight. Sorry, but this is not the case at all. The late Bernard Edwards and the superb Nile Rodgers are unique. They had their own signature, style and branding which was very much a progenitor of the time and not simply riding on the tide of Disco. I don't class their music as Disco anyway – more like soulful dance with a twist. Check out the synth stabs, the funky guitar licks and the bubbling eroticism. A lot of their material benefited from a leaning towards Latin too which was more than welcome for me. Many artists were clamouring for their sound, and I was not at all surprised. It's a sound I miss, and when they reformed for Chic-ism in 1992 I was very sad that they could not re-create a flavour of their heyday. So, for me at least their 1983 album, “Believer”, acts as their recording swansong. The overall feel is a linear progression from what they were recording in the 70s, but the lack of strings is far more evident. The brash, harder programmed sound of “Believer” is more on par with what was coming out of Roger Troutman's Zapp than their earlier work, and this suited me fine. The trademark guitars are funky licks are still in operation in 1983 and what may have sounded a little passé then certainly stands the test of time now. Contemporary solo efforts from Messrs Edwards and Rodgers were of an equally high standing and both albums very collectible now. Chic have always churned out some really high quality ballads, and “Take A Closer Look” merits you do just that. This is a really tasty song and given the sexy lead and backing vocals they are onto a winner. If infectious, happy grooves are your cup of tea then “You Got Some Love” will take away your hunger for such grooves. The bluesy guitar paired to a tip-top rhythm works really well. This really does hark back to their earlier work. A track which should have been huge was the “I Love My Music” - a track to be blared out on a hot summer day if ever I heard one. Now available on CD, this is classic late-era Chic.
Barry Towler
The Vibe Scribe
