The Controllers from Alabama started their career already in 1965. They became known for touching ballads but also later on for well-produced up-tempo dance numbers. They performed stylish soul music but didn’t get the attention they deserved and it’s not an understatement to say that they are a very much-overlooked band. After a detour in Miami in the late 70s where they got a deal with Juana records and released the debut album in 1977 (produced by Frederick Knight) that was followed up by a few other moderate hit albums they moved back to Alabama in 1984 joining MCA. The self-titled album that same year on which Stevie Wonder did a guest appearance featured the small hit “Crushed” (reached number 30 on the R&B charts). This review will have a look on their following album “Stay”, The Controllers most interesting and commercially successful. I’m not very much a 70s guy, I admit that, even though I like a lot from that era too. What I do like very much however is the joyful, slick and stylish productions from the early to mid 80s by producer icons like Kashif and Leon F. Sylvers III, “Stay” is in that perspective one of the most intriguing and to some extent most essential mid 80s soul album out there. After the 1984 MCA release including two dance floor stompers “Givin’ up on love” and “Undercover lover” besides the commercial hit “Crushed” the band continued on to 1986 by engaging the rising star producer Barry Eastmond that already had showed his potential on albums by Freddie Jackson, Lillo Thomas and Stephanie Mills. Producer Ralph Benatar and his co-worker since the 70s DJ/producer Galen Senogles had a small piece of the cake too.
The entire album has such a high quality that it’s hard to find anything bad to say about it. Surely some single track hardly reaches over average, but they do still hold value and even more importantly doesn’t affect the entire high-class picture at all. The Controllers are just lining up both slick, polished and addictive gems when it comes to the up-tempo and mid-tempo tunes even though their tradition of outstanding ballads is somewhat shaded. First out is the high ground ballad “Distant lover” that is followed by the Eastmond penned tight and funky soul gem “Stay”, The Controllers most successful commercial hit reaching #12 on the R&B charts. Two more Eastmond written masterpieces wraps up side A, enchanting and irresistibly “So glad” and addictive “Bad bad jama”.
When turning the vinyl to the other side you never know what to expect. Can they really continue this killer line-up of tracks? Oh, well yes! And yes again, at least when it comes to the first track! Goose bumps are rare in my life, but I get them listening to “Secret fantasy”, an absolutely stunning mid-tempo soul explosion (by Ralph Benatar; must be his best ever achievement) with a brilliant song effort that combined ignites a firework in my soul! After that climax something mellower is suitable. Even though the following ballads “Break out the love” and “Deeper in love” is the weakest production it’s good enough after such an ordeal. It doesn’t end in that more average fashion though as the album fire away one more heated shot right in the heart with “Got a thang” that despite not reaching the same level as on side A is a both easy listening and pleasant floor filler. This is an album that really never gets old. Instead, like old wine, it’s getting better for each year, cheers!
Patrik Andersson
Buy on Amazon
Buy on Music Stack
