This is surprisingly good and rewards repeat listenings. I've always dismissed Mangione as the corny "Feels so Good" guy, kind of the 70's version of Kenny G. But this double album soundtrack is fantastic. It's not difficult or avant-garde. But it's a very soulful, meditative, and uniquely interesting experience, that largely avoids the cliched sounds of "smooth jazz".

I was anticipating a great album when I finally gave this a listen. After all, I've been told for years how great these guys are. I even remember reading my old used copy of Rolling Stone's first record guide 25 years ago and it's glowing 5 star reviews of this and the other early Firesign albums. But I was shockingly disappointed. What a tediously unfunny waste of time. I didn't laugh once. I didn't even come close to laughing once. How could I when this is the caliber of sketch comedy on display?: "Abraham Lincoln didn't die in vain... He died in Washington, D.C." Really? Are you 12 years old? Or how about this groaner: "You can sit in the waiting room or you can wait in the sitting room." And it doesn't get any better either. Everything else here is equally lame. Who thinks this weak-ass shit is funny??? Maybe if I were stoned on cheap dirt weed, this might elicit a chuckle. But I doubt it. Of course a Firesign fanboy might argue that I "just don't get it". They'd be wrong. Oh, I get it alright. I get that it sucks.

This was only the second hip-hop song to make the Billboard Pop Top 40. Sugarhill Gang were first with Rapper's Delight. And unless you count Blondie's "Rapture", it took over a year for hip-hop to break the Top 40 twice. (sorry, Kurtis Blow fans. As massive a seller as The Breaks was, it never entered Casey Kasem's radio radar.) I was in 6th grade when Double Dutch Bus crawled it's way up to #30 in the US (besting Rapper's Delight's peak of #36). And I couldn't get enough of it! Never mind how silly the lyrics are, the song is so fun and infectious you might find yourself rushing out to buy a couple jump ropes just so you can learn the Double Dutch. Unfortunately, Mr. Smith never had another big hit. But he deserves a prominent place in hip-hop history. For one thing, he invented the "iz/izzle" slang that later became Snoop Dogg's trademark. And Double Dutch Bus has been sampled countless times, most notably by Missy Elliott (Gossip Folks), Madonna, and Kylie Minogue. So though serious heads may dismiss this song as a novelty, it will always be 5 stars worth of fun for me.

This is not a great album but it's a very enjoyable one if you're in the mood for it. Mid 70's disco rarely sounded this joyful and ethereal. The hit single here was "The Hustle", as undeniable a slice of roller disco euphoria as the era ever produced. And if you like that one, you'll probably dig the rest of this set too. About half the tracks are covers of familiar soul/funk hits of the day, but that's not as annoying as you would think. In at least a couple cases, McCoy's team actually improves on the original. As Disco was a singles-driven genre not known for producing consistently strong albums, this is probably among the best.

This was the Gang's most hit-packed album. 4 of the 7 tracks were Top 20 hits in the US. Of course, it's very much a product of it's time. Everyone was trying to replicate the multi-platinum magic of Michael Jackson's Thriller. And while the Gang falls short of those lofty heights, this effort is good fun from start to finish. A great record to throw on at your next 80's theme party, there's plenty here to pop, lock, moonwalk, and breakdance to, with the infectious "Fresh" a clear highlight. And they were even courteous enough to throw in a couple slow dance numbers so you can get up close with that fly tenderoni you been trading glances with all night. Then they end it all with a bouncy 7-minute shout-out to JC that even an atheist like me can't hate. (since it sounds like it could have been on the Beverly Hills Cop soundtrack, I just pretend it's about Axel Foley) Singles: Misled / Rollin' - #10 Pop / #3 R&B Fresh / In the Heart - #9 Pop / #1 R&B Cherish - #2 Pop / #1 R&B Emergency / You Are the One - #18 Pop / #7 R&B