The Friends of Distinction - Highly Distinct 1969

It opens with "Impressions," which is not a song, but two minutes of Harry Elston, Floyd Butler, Jessica Cleaves and Barbara Love -- the Friends of Distinction, tripping. Highly Distinct is close to their debut album but lacked the obvious hit; it's more jazzy and less R&B. They're mesmerizing on "We Got a Good Thing Going," where their four-part harmonies riding the bubbling arrangement is simply delicious. I've yet to hear a bad rendition of Neil Sedaka's lilting "Working on a Groovy Thing," and the Friends version, with their impeccable harmonies, is one of the best; it should have made their Best Of CD. A harmony-filled "It's Wonderful" is merely a vehicle to display their amazing blending skills, melody and lyrics buried in a sea of harmony. The Doors' rocker "Light My Fire" works well all jazzed up; it seems like a live recording but could have been manufactured in the studio. Nothing is blatantly commercial, and the uplifting "Let Yourself Go" stirred some chart action but strayed too far from the mainstream to seriously compete. AMG.

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