Sister Sledge Love Somebody Today

Sister Sledge: Debbie Sledge, Joni Sledge, Kim Sledge, Kathy Sledge.
Includes liner notes by A. Scott Galloway and Gary Jackson.
Although Sister Sledge had already peaked with their 1979 powerhouse We Are Family LP, they returned in the first half of 1980 with Love Somebody Today. Not quite as successful as its predecessor, but still showcasing the group's remarkable vocal strength, the album foundered primarily because it hit the brick wall laid down by the burgeoning disco backlash, but still managed to peak at number seven on the R&B charts in March.
Partnered for the second go-round with Chic's Bernard Edwards and Nile Rodgers, who wrote and produced all the songs, Sister Sledge spun out a sophisticated, slick set of smooth, mid-tempo R&B that concentrated on the sisters' vocals, leaving the musical arrangements in the background. Both the title track, which proved the album's only major hit, and the melancholy "You Fooled Around" emerged as the set's high points. Elsewhere, "Reach Your Peak" is a surprising combination of disco and jazz, leaving both "I'm a Good Girl" and "How to Love" to weigh in on the ballad front. It would have been hard for Sister Sledge to surpass the monstrously good one-two punch of "We Are Family" and "He's the Greatest Dancer." And, not surprisingly, much of Love Somebody Today sounds flat in comparison. But still, the sounds of Sister Sledge at the peak of their star power are better than much of the pap that passed for pop at the time. ~ Amy Hanson

• Genre: R&B
• Format: Vinyl