Sos Band BEST OF

The S.O.S. Band: Mary Davis (vocals, percussion); Bruno Speight (guitar);
Willie "Sonny" Killebrew (saxophone, flute, vocals); Billy "B.E." Ellis
(saxophone, keyboards, vocals); Abdul Raoof (trumpet, flugelhorn,
percussion); Jason "T.C." Bryant (keyboards, vocals); John Alexander
Simpson (bass, vocals); James Earl Jones III (drums, vocals); Jerome "JT"
Thomas (drums, percussion).
Additional personnel: Cherrelle, Alexander O'Neal (vocals).
Producers: Sigidi (tracks 1, 10); Jimmy Jam, Terry Lewis (tracks 2-8); Ricky Sylvers, Gene Dozier (track 9).
Compilation producer: Guy Abrahams.
Includes liner notes by Steven Ivory.
All songs written by James Harris III and Terry Lewis except "Take Your Time (Do It Right)" (Harold Clayton/Sigidi) and "What's Wrong With Our Love Affair?" (Jason Bryant).
Personnel: Willie "Sonny" Killebrew (vocals, slide guitar, saxophone); Billy "B.E." Ellis (vocals, saxophone, keyboards); Jason Bryant (vocals, keyboards); John A. Simpson III (vocals, bass guitar); James Earl Jones (vocals, drums); Mary Bond Davis, Mary Davis (vocals, percussion); Cherrelle, Alexander O'Neal (vocals); Bruno Speight (guitar); Abdul Ra'oof (trumpet, flugelhorn, percussion); Jerome Thomas (piano, drums).
Liner Note Author: Steven Ivory.
Arrangers: Fred Wesley; Sigidi; Jimmy Jam; The S.O.S. Band; Terry Lewis.
Like all greatest-hits or best-of compilations, this one is missing some key ingredients, namely "S.O.S. (Dit Dit Dit Dat Dat Dat Dit Dit Dit)" and "Just the Way You Like It." Since the band didn't record tons of material and was only active a short time, the omissions are hard to fathom. It's not like they didn't have room on the CD; only ten songs are compiled here. Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis are well represented with eight songs. Despite the omissions, this is still good listening. Mary Davis' vocals are irresistible; she can do it all. On "Take Your Time (Do It Right)," she shows her funk side, matching the driving, disco-like beat with some powerful vocals. On "Tell Me if You Still Care," she sings in a softer voice, similar to a Smokey Robinson production for Mary Wells. She sings "Just Be Good to Me" with so much conviction that you believe she wrote it. ~ Andrew Hamilton

• Format: CD
• Genre: R&B