I'm not certain who the gentleman on the front cover is, but it is certainly NOT Eramus Hall! Eramus Hall are a unit, a group, and not an individual. Furthermore, the group's name was given to them by Dr. Funkenstein himself, George Clinton who - it is alleged, saw a Civic hall by the name of Eramus Hall! Whatever the case all that matters to me is the quality of the music this group created. With only two albums under this name in the 1980s, this album and 1984's "Gohead" for Capitol, the sounds on their first album are soulful and owe something to jazz-fusion too. I hear elements of Con Funk Shun, the Blackbyrds, Kool and The gang and even Mandrill. Something of a rare groove favourite, "Your Love Is My Desire" was, at the time, downright obscure and a real rarity. Thank heavens for Westbound reissuing this on CD in the late 1990s.For the most part this album does not disappoint. It doesn't need to trade on the well-known rarity and the shining quality (no pun intended, honest) of "She Shined A Light" is enough in itself to warrant a purchase. If you replace the lead singer with Skip Martin or Bobby Harris then you could have a classy early 80s Dazz Band track - think their "Invitation To Love" set from the same year and Bob's yer uncle. I suppose you could say the same with "Think Positively". There is a great twitchy, live funky feel and a track like this does not do any damage whatsoever. The funky, slight disco flavour permeates their cover of "Just Me 'N You", and although does not better the J.R. Bailey version it is definitely right on the money for it's time. I much prefer, and plumb for every time, the slinkier and horn-filled "Will You Love Me Tomorrow (As You Do Today)"; the sax solo certainly helps raise the bar too. Check it out. You will be pleased to know this 80s gem is still very much available - and so it should be!
Barry Towler
The Vibe Scribe
The Vibe Scribe
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