The O'Jays - Survival & Family Reunion - Hybrid SACD

Hybrid SACD

During the middle of the 70’s disco era, The O’Jay’s could apparently do no wrong. The soulful Cleveland based trio recorded one hit after another under Gamble & Huff’s direction for Philadelphia International Records. Moving away from the angry bite of their 1972 release “Back Stabbers,” the band followed-up that fantastic album with their 1973 album “Ship Ahoy” heading onward into 1975 with two more LP’s, “Survival” and “Family Reunion.” These two albums were released in quadrophonic back then and now decades later Michael J. Dutton has remastered both albums from the original analogue tapes for his Vocallion label. Surround enthusiasts can pick up both on a single SACD containing stereo and multi-channel quad DSD layers, along with a standard Redbook CD layer.

Across the two albums on the O’Jays quad SACD fans will find strong soulful ballads carrying a good message from their strong selling album Survival. Embedded in the grooves, or the bits as they have been transformed into now, are two number one R&B hits, “Give The People What They Want” and “I Love Music (Part 1).” On Family Reunion the group lays out plenty of optimism on the uplifting “Unity” to the escapist party anthem “Livin’ for the Weekend.” Their intoxicating soulful side of disco provided some of the most appealing hits of the beloved disco era.

So, put on your dance shoes and spin the O’Jays in quad making this another valuable addition to your collection that I hope is full of other treasures, many which have been released on Vocallion Records.

Wesley Derbyshire