Man to Man

Recently I picked up a complete album CD collection for this band at a reasonable price. Hot Chocolate are a band I've long been very very interested in. Especially since learning about their particular type of funk. 1976 is not a year I would necessarily envy for such a band though. You would've had The Commodores,Earth Wind & Fire,The Isley Brothers,Average White Band,Barry White and Rufus all operating at the very peak of their powers on both ends of the pond. On one end however? This album really made an impact and I cans see why. "Heaven Is In The Back Seat Of My Cadillac" is a guitar/bass/keyboard/drum thick funk jam with rascally,growling vocals. "Living On A Shoe String" is a James Brown style rhythm guitar/drum based jam with a touch of string synthesizer. "Sugar Daddy" is a super powerful groove with an pumping Afro-Latin percussion rhythm,horn cries and thick layers of synth/electric slap bass. The title song and "Don't Stop It Now" both have that pumping dance/funk vibe of "You Sexy Thing" from the previous album with "You Could've Been A Lady" and "Harry" are both keyboard led,down home funky soul grooves. The album ends with the instrumentally epic cinematic soul of "Seventeen Years Of Age". Sonically speaking? This album,produced by the iconic Mickie Most,is one of the most impressive and unique sounding albums of the funk era. From any country. Everything involved with the rhythm-the bass,drums,percussion,even the vocal arrangements are pumped up to be bigger,phatter and as thick with stomping funkiness as it can possibly be. Even when the music is more stripped down and direct? This albums swells right up with the groove. Again the band focus on telling stories in their lyrics. Continually with a socially aware and spiritual bent. And always both instrumentally and verbally probing and philosophical. For sure music worth hearing.

This is my second favourite release of the band (see  Cicero Park , which was reaching by now higher levels of popularity, not only in the U.K. but also in larger markets, U.S. included.On this collection of songs, the trend is definitely "poppier"(less strings among other things) than on the first, and surely the second album (Self titled). However, the voice is still the same, as well as the deep soul sounds. There isn't really what I would call a filler on this album, and several tracks were sold as singles ("Heaven's in the back seat...", "Man to man", "You could have been a lady", "Don't stop it now") I still remember how hard the opening track was playing the summer it was released. It was the seller for me just like Emma was for Cicero Park. Both are marvelous, and very representative of the band's style. Don't overlook the edgy "Harry", and "Sex appeal", or the beautifully sung "seventeen years of age", another of my favourites.As said in my other review, this is the last album worth to purchase in its entirety. The records the band released after this started to lose consistency (e.a. more fillers, more edulcorated pop/disco, confetti day on  Every 1's a Winner is one of the most absurd songgs I've heard) despite some excellent songs here and there.In short, an album worth having, even if you can't cope with the name of the band, or with Errol's shoes on the cover sleeve of the record (!!!). As usual, LET THE MUSIC PLAY.

Great CD. Brings back a lot of memories!

ERROL BROWN AND HOT CHOCOLATE I HUST LOVE IT.