Title: The Isley Brothers At Their Mid-Seventies Hottest
Product review: Actually, "The Heat is On" and "Hope You Find Better Love" go on a little too long (although Ernie Isley's guitar is incendiary throughout). And even with Ronald Isley's achingly sweet voice, it's hard to imagine any sophisticated lady falling for lines like, "I believe you are a rainbow/and all the heaven I need to see/You're the promise everlasting" even in 1975. That said, "The Heat Is On" shows the Isleys as a full-strength, self-contained unit, with breathtaking soul harmony, hard funk riffs on "Fight The Power" (how shocking it was as a 13-year-old to hear "bulls--t" coming from my 8-track player) and three songs on (what used to be) side two as gorgeous and sensual as any soul sides ever released. No wonder Branford Marsalis names this one of his favorite love albums, and everyone from rappers Public Enemy to soul diva Whitney Houston has covered or quoted from it. Great stuff.
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