The Isley Brothers Album: “The Definitive Collection: The Isley Brothers”

Description :

Additional personnel: Gordon Chambers, Chante Moore (background vocals); J.S., Ernie Isley, Angela Winbush, Ronald Isley. <p>One of R&B's longest running and best-loved groups, the Isley Brothers unleashed a torrent of tasty soul, funk, and smooth balladry between their formation in the 1950s and the 2000s. Those who haven't followed the Brothers' career over the decades will likely find their stylistic range and the size of their discography dizzying, which makes a compilation like THE DEFINITIVE COLLECTION a perfect primer for newbies. <p>DEFINITIVE is arranged chronologically, starting up with the gritty R&B of "Shout!" and vintage love songs like "This Old Heart of Mine (Is Weak for You)." The Isleys' hard funk turns up on "Fight the Power" (the seminal "It's Your Thing" is conspicuously absent). But most of the material here is devoted to quiet-storm ballads such as "Smooth Sailing Tonight" and "Floatin' On Your Love." The term "definitive" is debatable (how to create such a collection from so much material?), but this set is a great place for Isley initiates.

Most listeners are probably familiar with only one or the other of the Isleys' soul and funk sounds of the '60s and '70s, or their "Quiet Storm" R&B of the '80s and onward. For those few whose interest spans the group's entire career, this is an interesting single-disc, made possible by the on-going consolidation of record labels. Fans of only the early- or late-period, particularly the early period, will find this disc disappointing. Compacting a long career made of two disparate portions onto a single disc inevitably led to missing essentials, including the seminal radio and chart classics "It's Your Thing" and "That Lady (Part 1)." The former redefined the Isleys as harder and funkier than their turn at Motown, and the latter recast one of their earlier songs into an influential rock-funk style. The absence of these tracks alone makes this collection anything but definitive.

A better bet for those interested in the Isley's soul and funk era is the 2-CD "Essential" collection. Not only does the "Essential" set flesh out the longer "Part 1 & 2" versions of the classics ("Shout," "That Lady," "Fight the Power," etc.), but it includes lesser-charting hits like "Pop That Thang" and album tracks like "Work to Do" (later covered by the Average White Band). Better yet, search out Rhino's 1990 two-volume "Isley Brothers Story" for even deeper helpings of their early and mid-period years. It's hard to imagine there's a huge audience for a set that covers both ends of the Isleys' career, but for the few, the proud, the loyal, here it is. [©2007 hyperbolium dot com]

the Isley Brothers along with Earth,Wind &fire are my favorite R&B Bands ever. so many great songs that cover the 50's,60's,70's,80's,90's and 00's. loved there blend of R&B and pop with gospel influence and how they modernize there sound through each passing era and decade.the songs all hold up and are classics.brother Ronald Isley's voice is timeless props always to Mr.Bigg and the great talents of all the brothers Ernie is a beast on Guitar and drums, Chris Jasper tore a keyboard up,Marvin on bass and the other brothers held there own.