BOBBY WOMACK – The Poet II [vinyl]

ABKCO 8790-1 (180g vinyl)
His career revived by The Poet, R&B legend Womack delivered more of the same in 1984. It’s not a criticism: that album and this sequel were perfect ‘soul sets’ redolent of the era, and both were as good as, if not better than, anything from the remarkable Philly Soul stable. Among its attractions are three duets with the equally-revered Patti LaBelle, superstar guests including George Benson and Wilton Felder, and chart success with ‘Love Has Finally Come At Last’. I am still compos mentis enough to recall that, beyond its commercial success, both Poets were perfect hi-fi demo material. Audiophiles weren’t alone: NME named it the best album of 1984.