Bobby "Blue" Bland - Sweet Vibrations (1980)

Bobby Bland is one of those rare talents that never lost his groove, even as the years went on -- maybe a bit like The Dells, in that he started out in the earliest days of soul music, but then was able to shift with the styles and the times, all without ever giving up the vocal strengths that made him so great in the first place! This set is a real gem from the start of the 80s -- arranged by Monk Higgins, who co-produced the set with Al Bell -- a duo who'd already given Bobby some great records before, but who really knock it out of the park with this one. There's an extra-special quality going on here -- maybe a slight reintroduction of blues roots, but still with a very contemporary spirit -- set up to superb backings throughout. Titles include "Soul With A Flavor", "Hollywood Woman", "You'd Be A Millionaire", "Sweet Vibrator", "Special Kind Of Fool", and "A Real Woman Is What It Takes".

Tracklist:
1-1 Bobby Bland - Sweet Vibrator [4:35]
1-2 Bobby Bland - You'd Be A Millionaire [4:31]
1-3 Bobby Bland - Soul With A Flavor [3:42]
1-4 Bobby Bland - Special Kind Of Fool [4:30]
1-5 Bobby Bland - Over The Rainbow [5:09]
1-6 Bobby Bland - Hollywood Woman [4:57]
1-7 Bobby Bland - A Real Woman Is What It Takes [4:36]
1-8 Bobby Bland - Just Because I Leave, That Don't Mean I'm Gone (Suspicious) [5:31]
1-9 Bobby Bland - New Merry Christmas Baby [3:44]