(March 2022) Episode 391 of the “opus project” is ISAAC HAYES. You can’t top his early 70s albums for sensuous soul and hot funk. Man I love that stuff. Not to mention his contributions to southern soul at Stax, development of disco, soundtracks (Shaft!) and as an actor, and a Chef.
Favorite album: Black Moses
Favorite song: Good Love
Best enjoyed: Making sweet love by the fire, with Chocolate Salty Balls
Compared to expectations: same
Recommendation: essential funk and sexy soul
(May 2021) Episode 333 is the BEE GEES. I divide their music into four phases: (1) 60s baroque/psychedelic pop, (2) early-70s soft rock, (3) late-70s disco, and (4) 80s-90s pop. It is unfair to dismiss them as a flash-in-the plan disco outfit because of the breadth of their long recording and performing career, and their songwriting and harmonizing talents. Plus, they did disco really well. My favorite is the late 60s stuff.
Favorite album: Bee Gees’ 1st
Favorite song: Every Christian Lion Hearted Man Will Show You
Best overall album: Odessa
Best soft rock period album: To Whom It May Concern
Best disco period album: Saturday Night Fever soundtrack
Favorite disco period song: Nights on Broadway
Best pop period album: This Is Where I Came In
Compared to expectations: same
(October 2020) Episode 287 is THE SUPREMES. At their mid-60s peak with the Holland–Dozier–Holland songwriting team, they churned out so many hits that are seared into our collective brain, rightly earning them the reputation as the top Motown act. I thought it was unfair to Mary and Florence (then Cindy) to rename them ‘Diana Ross and the Supremes,’ but the value of Diana’s contribution was revealed by the declining quality of recordings after she left. Their discs provide a history of the Motown evolution from doo-wop to the pop-soul merger, psychedelic soul, gritty 70s soul and disco.
Favorite album: The Supremes A’ Go-Go
Favorite song: Love Child
Compared to expectations: same
Opus Project 