Salient. Victoria University Student Newspaper. Vol. 37, No. 17. July 17, 1974
Slow Dancer:
Slow Dancer:
Boz Scaggs is, next to Van Mormon, my favourite linger, and after Al Green he's my favourite soul artist. He's a white soul linger—i.e. soul without the simpering crack and falsetto that has come to characterise black soul music—who sounds black. It's the kind of music that white singers like the Righteous Brothers and bands like Electric Flag did so well, and if you remember Electric Flag's "Long Time Coming" album then you've got it.
Recently I imported two earlier Boz Scaggs albums—"Boz Scaggs" (with Duane Allman) and "Moments". This album, "Slow Dancer", differs from these earlier albums. The guitar that feature so prominently is gone, and Boz has made a smooth progression from blues to soul with the addition of strings and horns:
"I have had my eyes on you, oh since the da-ay/I learned to laugh at myself/caught you laughing too/You went your way, and I went mine/it's strange that in another place/that joke should hit me in my face...../But you, you make it so hard, to say-ay no."
"You Make it so Hard" is the single from the album which is due to be released about now. Listen for it. If you like this then you'll probably like the rest of the album too. "Slow Dancer" doesn't cook, it cruises comfortably; it doesn't jar, even when the arrangements start to remind one of Uncle Tom bands like Junior Walker and The All-Stars.
Ten out of ten, with a red bullet and a big shiny star.