Slave - Show Time & Visions Of The Lite (remaster 2005)

This compilation from Collectables pairs together Slave's sixth and seventh albums, 1981's Show Time and 1982's Visions of the Lite. Putting any part of this band's output back into circulation is an admirable move, especially since Show Time has remained one of the best funk albums of the early '80s -- a point lost on a lot of potential fans since it remained out of print for so long. The band's last album with Steve Arrington, Show Time contains a healthy chunk of their most enduring singles ("Snap Shot," "Party Lites," "Wait for Me"). Slick, sophisticated, yet not short on grit. The following year's Visions of the Lite was the band's first without Arrington. Though Slave was cannibalizing a lot of their old ideas -- and perhaps some of Cheryl Lynn's (check "Be My Babe") -- they still corked out a couple hot songs in "Do You Like It... (Girl)" and "I'll Be Gone," which deserved to be, at least, a minor hit.