Shalamar - Three for Love (1980/2021)

The Howard Hewett/Jody Watley/Jeffrey Daniel edition of Shalamar was in excellent form on Big Fun, Friends, and The Look, but if one had to pinpoint the group's best release ever, the hands-down winner would have to be its fourth album, Three for Love. With Leon Sylvers III producing and members of Shalamar and Lakeside contributing to the writing, all of the pieces fell into place quite nicely. Shalamar enjoyed major hits with the irresistible "Make That Move" and the sentimental ballad "This Is for the Lover in You," and every bit as strong are the funky "Pop Along Kid" and the dreamy "Somewhere There's a Love." A non-musical point: when The Right Stuff reissued Three for Love on CD in 1997, the liner notes stated "copyright 1978," but in fact, the album wasn't released until late 1980; there's no way Three for Love could have even been recorded in 1978 because Hewett had yet to join Shalamar. But the main thing is the music, and the CD reissue certainly sounds great. Three for Love is soul-pop heaven.