The Whispers - Bingo (Reissue) (1974/1990)

Arguably one of the Whispers' best LPs, this went virtually unsung due to poor promotion. It was the L.A. natives' first foray outside of California to record. Norman Harris, along with Allan Felder, Bunny Sigler, and Ron Baker presented them with a treasure chest of tunes. The title track cut a groove from the first note, as the uptempo number was a perfect vehicle for the Whispers; "A Mother for My Children" did all right, rising up the charts, then like a pricked balloon fell even faster. The romantic "Someone's Waiting" has the deft harmonies favored by the fellows. "Little Red Riding Hood" languished on the LP, but deserved a better fate; Sigler and Felder took the fairy tale and concocted a melodic love song. Writers Hawes, Jefferson, and Simmons' bouncy "Where There Is Love" is similar to what the Spinners were doing, though their arrangement differs from a Thom Bell chart. Written by bassist Ron Baker, the rump-shaking "Once More with Feeling" scored on the disco chart; the guys sing it with gusto. A good mixture of slow jams and booty-movers.