Posted by William A. Padron on July 02, 2008 at 13:05:04:
Well, yesterday (Tuesday 7/1/2008) I purchased a copy of an updated CD version of SonyBMG's "The Essential O'Jays". The cover photo for the now dual-CD set is a vintage one that has Sammy Strain, not the late William Powell with the group as seen in the original 2005 release, along with Walter Williams and Eddie Levert.
I will say that both SonyBMG and Philadelphia International may have finally got this one right, and it is a very cohesive package of most of the O'Jays' musical material. It has all their basically charted hits and best known songs, from "Back Stabbers" to "Forever Mine" (a 6:00 minute version), plus some of the older pre-PIR records they had made before.
The linear notes were transcribed from the words of group member Eddie Levert, who speaks about within the text the struggles and success of the O'Jays. Levert is extremely excited that the group was able to be inducted to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and I can easily detect his sheer joy and enthusiasm over the induction while reading it the notes. There is a mention from Levert's words of the loss of his two sons, and there is a duet song heard on the second disc with father Eddie and son Gerard.
In all, a great O'Jays compliation package to own and listen to. It might just be the most definitive one on the legendary group so far to date.
-William A. Padron
["I Love Music"]