Back Stabbers/Ship Ahoy/Survival/Family Reunion

This two-disc set from the U.K.-based BGO label presents a straightforward reissue of the first four Philadelphia International albums by the OJays. Its the heart of the groups album discography, beginning with their 1972 mainstream breakthrough and ending in 1975 with their fourth straight RIAA-certified LP. Along with labelmates Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes and the Three Degrees, the OJays exemplified the vocal group side of Philly soul, and they were the most successful of all. During the period covered here, they topped the R&B chart with "Back Stabbers," "Love Train," "Give the People What They Want," "I Love Music," and "Livin for the Weekend," and scored two additional Top 40 pop hits, perfecting a balance of positive messaging, social commentary, and love ballads with some of Kenny Gamble and Leon Huffs finest songwriting and production work. Although a 2014 edition of Original Album Classics brought together the OJays first five PIR studio albums, it was long out of print by the time this saw release and, unlike this budget package, lacked liner notes. ~ Andy Kellman