In the '70s, Philadelphia was one of America's great cities for soul music, and few Philly acts scored more and better hits than
the O'Jays
. Formed in Ohio in 1958,
recorded for a variety of small labels with limited success until they partnered with
Kenny Gamble
and
Leon Huff
, a pair of producers based in Philadelphia whose bright, layered sound, full of horns, strings, and percussion, was a perfect match for
' vocal blend. The group relocated to the City of Brotherly Love and signed with
Philadelphia International Records
, where they enjoyed a string of hits that ranged from romantic numbers like "Used to Be My Girl" and "Now That We Found Love" to gritty, street-level anthems like "Back Stabbers" and "For the Love of Money," peaking with a combination of topicality and positivity in "Love Train."
The Very Best of the O'Jays
is a 21-song anthology that includes
' best-known songs from their tenure with
Philadelphia International
, and captures their trademark sound full of great grooves and passionate vocals. ~ Mark Deming