Search - Various Artists :: Disco Connection

12" mixes remastered

Larry Brewer | Peoria, IL United States | 06/29/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This set is subtitled: "Authentic Classic Disco 1976 - 1981". And that it is! The songs featured are an odd mixture of cult classics, dance floor smashes, and hits which were only truly big in the disco hot spots at the time (such as Studio 54 and others of its ilk). Is it worth owning? Oh, yeah! The afficionado will recognize every track here. And for the delight of all who purchase this disc, every track is beautifully remastered (as a rule), and the vast majority are original full-length 12" mixes.As with any compilation, there are a few questionable choices. No matter how I tried, I could never get my dance floor to respond to Michel Polnareff's "Lipstick" and, personally, I never had much use for Goody Goody's "#1 Dee Jay". On the other hand, apparently someone liked them. I can remember seeing both of them on the dance charts featured in "Record World" and "Billboard". Two other cuts, Kleeer's "Tonight's the Night" and Chic's "Sao Paulo", are also questionable. Kleeer was simply never one of "the greats" and, as with the Polnareff track, the song never made much of a dent on my playlist. As for the Chic track, with their impressive catalog one has to wonder why the Brazilian-flavored instrumental "Sao Paulo" was chosen. What's left? Some of the best dance music ever made. If for no other reason, buy this album for Undisputed Truth's phenomenal "You + Me = Love". I have searched for this song on CD since the advent of the format, and I am most pleased to inform you that the version presented here is the real thing in all of its 11 minute + glory. The bass can be a bit muddy, but nothing that the equalizer can't fix. The fantastic mastering of Change's "Paradise" will knock you out. Candi Staton, one of the great divas of the disco era ("Young Hearts Run Free" and "Victim"), is featured here with her top 10 club hit "When You Wake Up Tomorrow" in its remixed 12" version. Deodato's "Whistle Bump" sounds great--all over again--and brings back memories of the summer of 1976 and the sweat-inducing dance floors of Chicago.And there's still more: Sergio Mendes' 1979 comeback smash "I'll Tell You," the awesome "Weekend" by Patrick Adam's Phreek, funky, funky Stargard's smash Warner Bros. debut "Wear It Out," and of course Janice McLain's cult fave "Smack Dab In the Middle". As stated previously, all tracks are remastered and sound as good as you remember, and all are full length 12" mixes with one exception. The version of Janice McLain's "Smack Dab In the Middle" is touted as being the Larry Levan remix. I have my doubts but it's been a few years... I can remember receiving the promo 12" of the Levan remix from Warner Bros. and it was a lot longer than the mere 4:11 the song clocks in on this disc. Perhaps this version was a radio edit. Deadato's "Whistle Bump" may also be the album version. I remember the 12" single being a couple of minutes longer but, hey--it's been over 25 year and you can't remember everything.If you were dancing during this period, this album is going to bring back a lot of memories. Now, excuse me; I have to go listen to "You + Me = Love" again..."

Genuine Dancefloor Hits

disco75 | State College, PA United States | 09/10/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"These 12 tracks were all popular in the clubs (versus the radio) during the years 1976-81, and many of them are not easily available on CD. Examples include Michael Polnareff's "Theme From Lipstick," Undisputed Truth's "You+Me=Love," and Stargard's "Wear It Out." The recordings on this disc are well-selected; all reflect the disco aesthetic and cohere to a consistent-sounding set. The tracks are less obscure than those on the "Disco Spectrum" series-- the cuts on "Disco Connection" nevertheless make up a pleasing collection for disco fans and casual listeners of dance/party music."

NO DISCONNECTIONS WITH DISCO CONNECTION!

Patrick Frierson | 04/01/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"When people talk about vintage music from the past, Disco is one of the least regarded of all musical genres. Thanks largely in part to major record label emphasis on record sales over music, A lot of the mainstream disco music sounded watered down and generic. In spite of the few top quality commercial artists who put out some memorable songs (Chic, Donna Summer, and the Bee Gees), Many People didn't see it as nothing more than a dumbed down spin off of soul music.



That's just one story of Disco. It's unfortunate that many people has a indifference towards this genre because a lot of quality underground dance music came around the same time. Disco Connection Vol 1 is a generally excellent collection of obscure classics that were famous in the clubs but barely scraped the charts. I love this set because not only does these dance songs sound more authentic than their commercial counterparts, but these songs have aged a lot better than the bigger hits of its era. With the deterioration of mainstream music over the past decade, this music sounds better as the years go by.



The music on here follows the same simple premise of mainstream disco songs but, the arrangements are more subtle, giving the the grooves more room to be able to roam through your booty and make you shake it off! This is evident with tracks like "Paradise" where a big crispy beat is percolating a fat and greasy bassline with sassy ease. "Lipstick" is a deep kiss of early euro dance with a trace of funk underneath a saliva of intricately placed strings. The standout track on here though is "Weekend". It has a bouncy bassline and squigly synth touches that predated house music by several years. The rest of tracks are just as good except for "#1 Dee Jay" which is one the lamest dance tracks ever waxed. Why not use that space for "Kiss Me Again" since its one the most sought after disco songs on the market now.



There's nothing more I can say about this. With dance music this hot who needs an oasis! I'm about to go and play this some more and if you feel like dancin', you need to buy this album because once you're disco connected- you're be dancin long distance into the mourning light!.......Now do you see the light!



I hope so because this disco is more than a guilty pleasure.

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