Bittersweet/Skin I'm In

With solid songwriting and production from ex-Motown wunderkinds Holland-Dozier-Holland, the Chairmen of the Board hit the charts several times during the early '70s. Their two best albums, however, date from long after the hits "Give Me Just a Little More Time" and "Pay to the Piper." Bittersweet and Skin I'm In are dense, ambitious works that benefit from free-form frameworks and funky charts -- from, among others, members of Parliament-Funkadelic, on Skin I'm In. Though lead vocalist General Johnson wasn't happy with some of the arrangements, Skin I'm In is especially intriguing for fans of psychedelic soul -- a four-part suite beginning with "Morning Glory" and including the Sly Stone cover "Life and Death" that ranges through distorted basslines, epic Mellotron solos, and some raging vocal work by the group itself. Sequel's two-fer of 1972's Bittersweet and 1974's Skin I'm In includes all the tracks from both LPs, along with in-depth liner notes, pictures, and a full discography. Aside from the above-mentioned, highlights include "Everybody Party All Night," "Finders Keepers," the modest hit "Elmo James," and "Men Are Getting Scarce." ~ John Bush|