Title - Midnight Star - The Definitive Collection [3CD]
Artist - Midnight Star
For those not in the know, the 80’s saw the Cincinnati collective Midnight Star traversing a variety of music genres, paying homage to psychedelic soul and disco legends such as Parliament-Funkadelic and Giorgio Moroder, paving the way for further experiments with techno-funk.
This incredible three-disc Definitive Collection captures the decade of Midnight Star - from nascent 1980 debut ‘The Beginning’ to the 1990 album ‘Work It Out’, released shortly before the collective went on hiatus.
Disc One:
1. Make It Last
2. Keep The Spirit High
3. You’re The Star
4. Set Me On Fire
5. Two In Love
6. I’ve Been Watching You
7. Tuff
8. Can’t Give You Up
9. Standing Together
10. I Got What You Need
11. Hot Spot
12. Victory
13. Strike A Match
14. You Can’t Stop Me
This definitive collection of Midnight Star celebrating the hitmakers from the SOLAR Records galaxy, opens on the groovelicious Make It Last and the funky Keep The Spirit High and then we get the fantastic You’re The Star, the infectious Set Me On Fire, the horns and strings brilliance of Two In Love, and then comes the funky bass playing that drives I’ve Been Watching You, the luxurious Jerri Curl funk of Tuff, the first disc rounding out on the beautiful ballad Can’t Give You Up, the high pitch synths of Standing Together, the underrated B-Side classic gem I Got What You Need, closing on the Bootsy-fueled Hot Spot, the jam session Victory, the funky Strike A Match and the Disco cut You Can’t Stop Me.
Disc Two:
1. Freak A Zoid
2. Wet My Whistle
3. Feels So Good
4. No Parking On The Dance Floor
5. Electricity
6. Night Rider
7. Operator
8. Scientific Love
9. Body Snatchers
10. Curious
11. Planetary Invasion
12. Headlines
The second disc begins with the dancefloor NRG of their massive smash hit Freak A Zoid and the synth-slide that glides through the totally awesome Wet My Whistle and then we get the low slung balladry of Feels So Good, the immortal Disco cut No Parking On The Dance Floor, the grooved, funky beats of Electricity, the hand-clapper Night Rider, before we are brought forth the computer voiced gem Operator, the beautiful chords and synth arrangements that flow within Scientific Love, the disc ending with the African tribal junjun and djembe drum beat interplay of Body Snatchers, the RnB of Curious, the jamming beats of Planetary Invasion, and the brilliant old school music of Headlines.
Disc Three:
1. Midas Touch
2. Engine No. 9
3. Stay Here By My Side
4. Get Dressed
5. Don’t Rock The Boat
6. Snake In The Grass
7. 90 Days (Same As Cash)
8. Pamper Me
9. Love Song
10. I Don’t Wanna Be Lonely
11. Do It (One More Time)
12. Luv-U-Up
13. Work It Out
14. If Walls Could Talk
15. Take Your Shoes Off
The third disc opens on the Whispers-esque Midas Touch and the forever jam of Engine No. 9, and they are seamlessly followed by the saxophone-imbued Stay Here By My Side, the poppy R&B of Get Dressed, the dope beats Don’t Rock The Boat, the jammin’ old school cut Snake In The Grass, and the third disc rounds out on the forthright funk of 90 Days (Same As Cash), the infectious jam of Pamper Me, the simply lovely Love Song, the smooth I Don’t Wanna Be Lonely, coming to a close on the Cameo-enveloped Do It (One More Time), the vivacious R&B of Luv-U-Up, the timeless Work It Out, the faster paced If Walls Could Talk, and the Solar sound that frequented Vegas back then, Take Your Shoes Off.
This incredible 3CD package features tracks from albums ‘The Beginning’ (1980), ‘Standing Together’ (1981), ‘Victory’ (1982), ‘No Parking On The Dance Floor’ (1983), ‘Planetary Invasion’ (1984), ‘Headlines’ (1986), ‘Midnight Star’ (1988), and ‘Work It Out’ (1990).
Featuring such electrifying tracks as ‘Wet My Whistle’ and ‘Freak-A-Zoid’ - which both took over dancefloors across the globe - it also includes brand new inner sleeve notes by Irina Shtreis, contributor to MOJO, Record Collector, The Quietus and Under The Radar.
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Official Purchase Link