Vicki Sue Robinson - Never Gonna Let You Go (Expanded Edition) (1976)

When "Turn the Beat Around" became a major hit in 1976, many of the people who heard that disco-soul classic on the radio bought the single and skipped Vicki Sue Robinson's debut album, Never Gonna Let You Go. But those who did hear the rest of the LP found that most of the other tracks were decent, if unremarkable. Club DJs, unlike radio DJs, didn't play "Turn the Beat Around" exclusively some of them found "We Can Do Almost Anything" useful and the exuberant, sunny title track (which is arguably the second best song on the album) enjoyed a lot of club exposure. But much of the LP isn't aimed at the dance floor; "When You're Lovin' Me," "Lack of Respect," and "Wonderland of Love" are competent Northern soul items with a strong Philadelphia influence. At times Never Gonna Let You Go sounds like it might have been recorded at Philly's Sigma Sound Studios, but in fact, the album was recorded entirely in New York. Never Gonna Let You Go is uneven, but its plusses exceed its minuses -- and despite its flaws, it indicated that Robinson had a great deal of potential.