Bloodstone
's stomping ground was Kansas City by way of Los Angeles and England, but the
soul
outfit sounded more like they were from Detroit by way of Philadelphia. While Motor City groups like
the Temptations
and
the Dramatics
were a major influence on
, these soulsters also did some of their best work when they were thinking more along the lines of
the Moments
,
the Stylistics
, and
Blue Magic
. A fine illustration of
's flexibility, this 1997 release spans 1972-1982 and ranges from heavenly
Thom Bell
-ish
ballads
like
"Natural High,"
"Outside Woman,"
"Give Me Your Heart"
to such funky, Detroit-minded smokers as
"Take These Chains"
"Tell It to My Face."
Very Best
also gives you everything from the cutesy
"My Little Lady"
to the overlooked gem
"Little Linda,"
which describes a young woman's addiction to hard drugs. The slicker, more
disco
-ish cuts (including
"Train Ride"
) aren't as strong as some of the other material, but even at their second and third best,
was enjoyable. And at their best, the group was outstanding. ~ Alex Henderson