Philadelphia legends, The Stylistics were a preeminent vocal group throughout the 1970s notching hit after R&B hit with their trademark ballads. Their chart-topping prowess was only amplified when, 25 years after The Stylistics’ original hit, “Betcha By Golly Wow” was covered by Prince on his Emancipation album, introducing the classic song to a new generation of listeners.

After two decades of success, The Stylistics took a break from the studio to focus on their live show presentation and touring, but by the mid-’90s, they were ready to record again. Producer and songwriter Preston Glass had developed a relationship with Thom Bell, which after success with other artists (Stacy Lattisaw, Kenny G, Earth, Wind & Fire), led him directly to The Stylistics.

First released on producer Preston Glass’ Marathon Records in 1996, Love Is Back In Style brought the legendary soul masters well into that decade with an album that is the perfect marriage between the then-modern sounds of the 1990s and their classic ’70s hits.

Love Is Back In Style carried a similar quality found in the great works The Stylistics gave fans in the 1970s, while under the tutelage of the iconic producer/composer/arranger/conductor Grammy®-winner Thom Bell. The album is also poignant, given that it was the last album recorded with three original Stylistics — Airrion Love, Herb Murrell, and longtime lead singer, Russell Thompkins Jr..

1. I Once Had A Love
2. She’s All That
3. Shoulder
4. Keeping You To Your Promise
5. Right Face, Wrong Mind
6. Have You Ever Been In Love?
7. Go
8. Where Do You Run
9. Love Can Heal A Wounded Heart
10. You Must Love Loneliness
11. What You’re Goin’ Through
12. She’s All That (Remix) [Bonus Track]

This stunningly ambient flashback to a much easier, smoother time of life musically surrounds the group with elegance and first-class Philly songs and arrangements from the off.

Indeed, Russell Thompkins’ effortless falsetto never sounded better and the same is true for Herb Murrell and Aiiron Love, whose deeper register takes a track such as Love Can Heal a Wounded Heart to lofty heights.

Some of the stand out tracks for me are She’s All That is a funky, synth-heavy tune that just goes everywhere you could ever wish it to, Shoulder has some of the sitar licks that bring back memories of those times, Keeping You To Your Promise is a sweet ballad with a soggy hook line, and the uptempo Right Face, Wrong Mind is an uptempo number with a dutiful soul.

Have You Ever Been In Love? once again uses the sitar sound to try and remind us of the classic Stylistics ballads, which it most assuredly does, and then we get tracks such as Where Do You Run (a competent ballad) and the aforementioned Love Can Heal A Wounded Heart has a nice shared lead between Russell, Herb and Arrion.

Oh, and as much as Herb Murrell preaches against rap at live concerts, they include one here by Biggy Smallz on the remix version of She’s All That!

Featuring remastering by multiple Grammy®-winning engineer, Michael Graves and updated artwork containing informative liners from Kevin L. Goins, Love Is Back In Style rightfully takes its place in the canon of one of Philly soul’s greatest groups.

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