Chameleon (Mowest, 1972)
Posted: Sat Jan 12, 2008 5:54 pm
After "Half & Half" the group entered a very creative rock/harmony phase that produced some stunning material that unfortunately did very badly. The full length versions of this period, as opposed to edited singles, are to be found on various Rhino comilation CDs and are well worth looking up. However, this initial series of reviews is limited to the first releases of the core albums, not re-issues and hits compilations, to we move now past the Philips era to the brave new start on Motown's West Coast Mowest label.
Around 28 tracks were initially recorded and the first batch came out as the album "Chameleon". A great bone of contention is that the rest of the material recorded has remained buried in the Motown vaults and they seem in no hurry to release it.
Chameleon is a classic, a beautifully crafted original album with an exciting new feel to it. No hits the first time sround, but the re-issue of "The Night" in 1975 seemed to spark the new run of success throughout the 1970s. But at this time the album remains the single greatest monument to the Motown Years. This album plus most of the other released tracks from Motown can be found on a bootleg "The Night - Inside You" that is available in record shops and via Amazon. It's good stuff.
Around 28 tracks were initially recorded and the first batch came out as the album "Chameleon". A great bone of contention is that the rest of the material recorded has remained buried in the Motown vaults and they seem in no hurry to release it.
Chameleon is a classic, a beautifully crafted original album with an exciting new feel to it. No hits the first time sround, but the re-issue of "The Night" in 1975 seemed to spark the new run of success throughout the 1970s. But at this time the album remains the single greatest monument to the Motown Years. This album plus most of the other released tracks from Motown can be found on a bootleg "The Night - Inside You" that is available in record shops and via Amazon. It's good stuff.