The Masqueraders - Starry love 1980
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The Masqueraders, all from different parts of Texas, are one of those acts that manage to give an above-average effort each and every time they visit a recording studio. The five merged from as many groups in high school and have been recording since the early '60s. This self-titled LP kicks off with a fast and frenzied "Desire"; lead singer Lee Hatim shows why he's considered one of the most underrated voices in soul music, exhorting and pumping the lyrics with genuine conviction. "Starry Love" is a dreamy ballad with an edge;the Masqueraders couldn't sound wimpy if they tried. Hatim did a double on this one by singing and playing piano on the sessions; make that a triple — he wrote or co-wrote all the songs too. The electrifying "Into Your Soul" has Hatim singing a very personal lyric to someone special while apparently tickling the ivories, the fire in his voice emerging at times like a raging bull. Members Harold Thomas, Sammy Hutchins, Robert Wrigthsel, and David Sanders were missing in action on "For the Sake of Pride" as Hatim goes solo. If you like a reggae beat, then "I'll Be Your Shoulder to Cry On" has elements of the world-renowned Jamaican groove complete with clacking calypsos, hand-clapping, and island-flavored backing vocals. The only disappointment is "Rock Jam," a poor attempt to cash in on disco. James Stroud produced this LP and played drums and percussion on the tracks. A good effort that went unnoticed, like many of their recordings.
Masqueraders: Lee Hatim, Harold Thomas, Robert Wrightsel, David Sanders and Sammy Hutchins.
Review by Andrew Hamilton
.JPG)
The Masqueraders, all from different parts of Texas, are one of those acts that manage to give an above-average effort each and every time they visit a recording studio. The five merged from as many groups in high school and have been recording since the early '60s. This self-titled LP kicks off with a fast and frenzied "Desire"; lead singer Lee Hatim shows why he's considered one of the most underrated voices in soul music, exhorting and pumping the lyrics with genuine conviction. "Starry Love" is a dreamy ballad with an edge;the Masqueraders couldn't sound wimpy if they tried. Hatim did a double on this one by singing and playing piano on the sessions; make that a triple — he wrote or co-wrote all the songs too. The electrifying "Into Your Soul" has Hatim singing a very personal lyric to someone special while apparently tickling the ivories, the fire in his voice emerging at times like a raging bull. Members Harold Thomas, Sammy Hutchins, Robert Wrigthsel, and David Sanders were missing in action on "For the Sake of Pride" as Hatim goes solo. If you like a reggae beat, then "I'll Be Your Shoulder to Cry On" has elements of the world-renowned Jamaican groove complete with clacking calypsos, hand-clapping, and island-flavored backing vocals. The only disappointment is "Rock Jam," a poor attempt to cash in on disco. James Stroud produced this LP and played drums and percussion on the tracks. A good effort that went unnoticed, like many of their recordings.
Masqueraders: Lee Hatim, Harold Thomas, Robert Wrightsel, David Sanders and Sammy Hutchins.
Review by Andrew Hamilton
I chose a wonderful track entitled "Starry love".
.JPG)
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