Nice to see this album get its first release in the UK, and on CD to boot. The album was reissued by Sony in Japan back in 2001 and, now deleted, has commanded £200+ on ebay! Crazy, I know, but should you not own this on CD then Expansion have done the right thing and has licensed it so that you can order it at a decent price! Without a doubt this is classic Lamont Dozier – and 1981 was a quality year, too. We surely cannot go wrong here. The opening song was one of two singles lifted from this set - “Cool Me Out” is an uptempo number which sees Dozier at the top of his game. I also love the uptempo number “Nobody Told Me” which is classic Lamont through and through. The second release was the ballad “Too Little Too Long” complete with flute, strings and was a song that I could have imagined the Four Tops recording with him at the time. Levi Stubbs would be perfect for this song! A more contemporary sound was drawn together on the breezy and cantering “Playing For Keeps” - the technology may be changing but the style certainly doesn't. The wonderfully dreamy “Interlude” and “(You Got Me) Wired Up” are inseparable bed-fellows and the latter is one of my favourite tunes ever by this man. CLASSIC early 80s soul and would not have been out of place on his self-titled M&M album release from the same year. Pure class.Saying that, “Starting Over” has equal footing in my mind – another beautifully constructed piece of REAL soul music. Play this and then check out a lot of what passes today as soul music. There's no comparison is there? The string-laden “Working On You” also reaches dizzy heights and by the time you reach this point in the album you realise that you are in the presence of a CLASSIC album. Lamont Dozier IS greatness anyway, so no real surprise there then! The final cut on this LP was the evergreen “You Made Me A Believer” which is the epitome of 'feel good' soul music and whenever played this always lifts my spirits up no end. Richard Searling included this on his wonderful “Soul Souvenirs” Volume 1 and is in love with the song as much as I am. This album is essential, there's no beating about the bush. It led nicely onto his excellent “Bigger Than Life” set 2 years later and set the standard for that classy collection. While we still await the “Ladies Man” album which he promised me 4 years ago, be content with this reissue which is as fresh and relevant today in 2008 as it was back in 1981.
