Edsel Box Set Round-Up: "SAM: The Sound of New York City," "Sean Rowley Presents Guilty Pleasures: 20th Anniversary"

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When brothers Hy and Sam Weiss passed in 2007 and 2008, respectively, the Romanian-born immigrants to Brooklyn were eulogized as the last of the golden age record men. The Weiss brothers formed their first record label in 1949; in 1953, they launched Old Town Records which Hy would take on as his own in 1956. Many of Old Town's classic hits are still favorites today, such as The Capris' "There's a Moon Out Tonight," Billy Bland's "Let the Little Girl Dance," and "Remember Then" by The Earls. Upon leaving Old Town, Sam had turned to distribution. But by the mid-1970s, he was ready to dip his toes back into the creative end of the music business. He launched SAM Records, and along with Salsoul, West End, and Prelude, the feisty SAM label became one of the most ubiquitous of the disco era. Demon Music Group, through its now-defunct Harmless imprint, previously celebrated the SAM discography on such releases as SAM Records Extended Play and The SAM Records Anthology, as well as individual album reissues. Earlier this year, Demon's Edsel imprint issued SAM: The Sound of New York City 1975-1983, a 3-CD, 36-song compendium that has much in common with the 2015 Anthology, albeit with upgraded, oversized packaging. Disco fans who missed out on the earlier set will find much to appreciate here.

Perhaps ironically, the New York label's first release was a British recording by a singer born in the American south: Doris Duke's rendition of Marlena Shaw's "Woman of the Ghetto." That torrid, funky workout would be followed, though, by dance music of every sound and style. SAM is probably best remembered today for its house band (and answer to Philadelphia International's MFSB and Salsoul's Salsoul Orchestra), John Davis and The Monster Orchestra. Producer-arranger-conductor Davis built his group from many of the same musicians as those two venerable units, including guitarists Bobby Eli and Michael "Sugarbear" Foreman, drummer Charles Collins, percussionist Larry Washington, string and horn contractor (and violinist) Don Renaldo, and background vocalists The Sweethearts of Sigma. The formidable and funky Monster Orchestra is heard on "Bourgie, Bourgie," "I Can't Stop," "Love Magic," "Night and Day," the "Kojak Theme," and "Up Jumped the Devil." In addition to his own plush disco grooves, Davis wrote, produced, arranged, and conducted Lucy Hawkins' single "Gotta Get Outta Here."

Davis' recordings are far from the only notable ones released on SAM and collected here, however. Other highlights include Queens, NY group Gary's Gang's ethereal "Keep on Dancin'," New Jersey band Rhyze's brassy "Do Your Dance," a trio of songs from the Motown-bred duo of Michael and Brenda Sutton (the irresistible "Any Way You Want My Love," "We'll Make It," the Shep Pettibone mix of "Don't Let Go of Me"), First Choice alumna Wardell Piper's imploring but sleek "Come On Back to Mama," and Leroy Burgess and Convertion's "Let's Do It." (Burgess would clash with Sam Weiss, move to Salsoul, and rename his group Logg.)

Though pop success largely eluded the label, SAM was a frequent visitor to the R&B and Dance charts. Weiss initially carried on through 1983, and this collection spotlights some efforts from the label's post-disco period as electronics were becoming increasingly prominent. British-born, Munich-based Geoffrey Bastow had been a part of the city's thriving Eurodisco scene; he emerged on SAM In 1981 with the spellbinding instrumental "Hupendi Muziki Wangu? (You Don't Like My Music)" under the name of K.I.D.; the same year, SAM imported The Evasions' novelty "The Wikka Wrap" and took the spoof of British television presenter Alan Whicker to the U.S. Club charts where few listeners had any idea of Whicker or that the song was satirizing him. In 1982, producers Darryl Payne and Gary Turnier took "Feel Alright," credited to studio outfit Komiko, to the R&B and Dance charts. Turnier was also the co-producer of Vicky D's No. 11 Club hit "This Beat Is Mine," also featured on this set, while Payne helmed Kreamcicle's boogie-funk jam "Hold On," heard in its Jellybean mix.

The non-chronologically-assembled box, compiled by Dom Williams and Mike Weiss, makes a strong case for how influential SAM's records were on the hip-hop and house scenes that would follow disco. Alexis Petridis provides the new liner notes in the 24-page booklet, and Phil Kinrade has remastered the audio. The Sound of New York City circa 1975-1983 has proven timeless.

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Back in 2004, BBC DJ Sean Rowley introduced Guilty Pleasures as a special segment of his radio show. The concept - showcasing '70s songs that were "slightly shameful to love," as Rowley said, tongue planted firmly in cheek - became so popular that it spawned a series of compilation albums, live shows, tribute LPs, and more. Earlier this year, Rowley teamed with Edsel to celebrate 20 years of Guilty Pleasures on a new 20th anniversary 4CD, 70-song box set.

The four discs of the oversized, slipcased box are arranged by theme. The first disc, All the Hits and More, features songs that are played today with regularity: Captain and Tennille's chart-topping "Love Will Keep Us Together," ELO's "Sweet Talkin' Woman," Ace's "How Long," 10cc's "The Things We Do for Love," and Helen Reddy's "Angie Baby" (another U.S. No. 1) among them. Alessi's "Oh Lori," the dreamy 1977 U.K. hit that launched the Guilty Pleasures brand, opens the disc which expectedly brims with melody and nostalgia. The second disc, Pop Goes Smooth, is again self-explanatory. It opens with Looking Glass' "Brandy (You're a Fine Girl)," a 1972 chart-topper on the Billboard 200 which received a new lease on life when director James Gunn included it on the soundtrack to his 2014 blockbuster film Guardians of the Galaxy. Rowley has included a number of staples on SiriusXM's yacht rock format (Blues Image's "Ride, Captain, Ride," The Ozark Mountain Daredevils' "Jackie Blue," Hamilton, Joe Frank, and Reynolds' "Fallin' in Love," Seals and Crofts' "Get Closer") along with some well-curated, lesser-known cuts (singer-songwriter Randy Edelman's U.K. hit cover of "Concrete and Clay," Jim Gilstrap's take on Kenny Nolan's "Swing Your Daddy") and gems such as Art Garfunkel's ethereal "Break Away."

Disc Three, No Static, doesn't have Steely Dan's "FM (No Static at All)," but does have not-so-guilty treats from Rupert Holmes (the lyrically sharp "Him"), Olivia Newton-John (Xanadu favorite "Magic"), Nicolette Larson (the Neil Young-written "Lotta Love"), and England Dan and John Ford Coley (Todd Rundgren's uplifting "Love Is the Answer"). The most delicious campy item is Carole Bayer Sager's "You're Moving Out Today." The U.K. top ten hit co-authored by Bette Midler and Bruce Roberts melds its catchy, perky melody to an unforgettably quirky, comic lyric which is delivered to tart perfection by Sager (whose timeless concept album Sometimes Late at Night was reissued, remastered, and expanded last year by Iconoclassic Records). A happily unexpected inclusion is The Four Seasons' "Down the Hall." Led not by Valli but by Gerry Polci, the bubbly pop-meets-disco-prog mélange made the U.K. top 40 but stalled at No. 65 stateside.

The fourth disc, No Hit Wonders, has the deepest cuts - but all still fit within the series' framework as songs from an era where melody was king. A handful of hitmakers are indeed peppered in here (The Mamas and the Papas, with "Shooting Star" from the underrated People Like Us; The Rascals' Felix Cavaliere with "Only a Lonely Heart Sees" - which actually was a U.S. top 40 hit; Gary Wright with "Let It Out," Stephen Bishop with "Little Italy") and there are choice cuts from "Happy Days" singers Pratt and McClain ("Whachersign") and "Moonlight Feels Right" group Starbuck ("Easing Back"). Three Dog Night's Cory Wells is heard on his rare 1978 solo entry "Midnight Lady."

Rowley's detailed track-by-track notes in the 32-page booklet are informative and sincere; those looking for pithy put-downs of the songs are better off looking elsewhere. Phil Kinrade has remastered the audio; the individual CDs are stored in slots within a folder. Truth to tell, there's no guilt whatsoever in enjoying these pleasures.

Various Artists, SAM: The Sound of New York City 1975-1983 (Edsel EDSL0177, 2024) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada)

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