Barrence Whitfield & The Savages - Ow! Ow! Ow! (1987)

Is it the best Savages album ever made? Well, it's my favorite and I'm writing this entry, so there. This was the first record with the "New" Savages, and the turn is to more original material. Guitarist Milton Reder's "Madhouse" is a wonderful fit for Barry's voice, as is sax player David Scholl's "I Don't Dig Your Noise." But the payoff is the Reder-penned "Girl From Outer Space," which Barry sings in a falsetto scream that is dazzling (he even riffs on Sun Ra at the end of the song). What makes this the strongest Whitfield/Savages album is its variety, and the fact that Barry's voice is strong and versatile enough to bring more nuance and emotion to the material. Why this wasn't a big hit for them I'll never know; it's a fine, fine record.