The Stylistics Self-Titled Debut Soul Album 1971 Avco Vinyl First Pressing EX/EX

$

40

The Stylistics  ‎–  Self-Titled Debut Album

Label: Avco  ‎– AV-33023

Format: Vinyl, LP, Album, Stereo, First Pressing

Country: USA

Released: 1971

Genre: Funk, Soul, Rhythm & Blues

Overall an EX/EX almost NM copy. Vinyl EX with some very faint sleeve wear under glare of light, clean and unmarked labels. Sleeve is EX with intact edges, no splitting, no cut-outs, clean and unmarked, no writing, no stains, no price stickers, some very faint surface wear from use, storage and handling. Original AVCO inner sleeve present with no splitting.

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The Stylistics  are an American  Philadelphia soul  group that achieved their greatest chart success in the 1970s. They formed in 1968, with a lineup of singers  Russell Thompkins Jr., Herb Murrell, Airrion Love, James Smith, and James Dunn. All of their U.S. hits were ballads characterized by the falsetto of Russell Thompkins Jr. and the production of  Thom Bell. During the early 1970s, the group had twelve consecutive R&B top ten hits including "Stop, Look, Listen", "You Are Everything", "Betcha by Golly, Wow", "I'm Stone in Love with You", "Break Up to Make Up" and "You Make Me Feel Brand New". They had five gold singles and three gold albums.

After signing to Avco, the record label approached producer  Thom Bell, who had already produced a catalogue of hits for  the Delfonics, to work with the group.  The Stylistics auditioned for Bell, but he was initially unimpressed. He ultimately agreed to produce the group because he believed in the potential of lead singer  Russell Thompkins, Jr.'s distinctive, nasal high tenor and  falsetto  voice.  Avco gave Bell complete creative control over the Stylistics and he proceeded to focus the group's sound exclusively around Thompkins's voice.  On most of the group hits, Bell would have Thompkins sing virtually solo.  The first song recorded with Bell and his  collaborator, lyricist  Linda Creed, was "Stop, Look, Listen". Their hits from the period which are on three albums included "Betcha by Golly, Wow" (U.S. No. 3), "I'm Stone in Love with You", "Break Up to Make Up" (U.S. No. 5), "You Make Me Feel Brand New" featuring Thompkins singing a lead vocal duet with Airrion Love, "Stop, Look, Listen (To Your Heart)", "You Are Everything" and the Top 20 pop chart hit "Rockin' Roll Baby" (U.S. No. 14). "You Make Me Feel Brand New", the group's biggest U.S. hit, holding at No. 2 for two weeks in 1974, was one of the group's five U.S.  gold  singles. The Stylistics also found a path on to  adult contemporary  airwaves, and the group made  Billboard  magazine's Easy Listening singles chart twelve times from 1971 to 1976, with three entries ("Betcha by Golly, Wow", "You Make Me Feel Brand New" and "You'll Never Get to Heaven (If You Break My Heart)") reaching the Top 10. Every single that Bell produced for the Stylistics was a Top Ten R&B hit, and several—"You Are Everything", "Betcha by Golly Wow!", "I'm Stone in Love with You", "Break Up to Make Up" and "You Make Me Feel Brand New"—were also Top Ten pop chart hits. The group also had commercial success with hits with the songs throughout Europe.