Records

Gladys Knight & The Pips

Gladys Knight and the Pips: Imagination Buddah 0598.

Gladys Knight's got this not-so-new-anymore album out called "Imagination." It's really, I regret, mostly disappointing. You'd think after all these years of making it, Gladys and the Pips could come up with a totally satisfying album, especially since they're such hot stuff right now. They must listen to their agent, manager, or producer too much. I can't believe they would have such dubious taste and such an abundance of talent.

Side one is literally top heavy with the hits--"Midnight Train to Georgia, "I've Got to Use My Imagination," "The Best Thing That Ever Happened to Me," "Once in a Lifetime Thing." Then side two is all this sap about "seeing clearly now," and peaceful waters and perfect love. Really Gladys, I know you've got more to say than that. What a voice! But what out of touch songs.

I shouldn't be all that disgusted because there are some nice touches. "Midnight Train to Georgia," though you may have have heard it all too often on CKLW, is a perfect Gladys Knight tune, and I like it because of that. 'I've Got to Use My Imagination" almost equals "I Heard It Through the Grapevine" for its grittiness and honesty. And Gladys is really singing on it-as she hasn't sung since "Grapevine." The group on the whole sounds like its had a real surge of new energy, especially Gladys. It's about time when you consider how long they've been wailing their thing, and now in '74 there's a soul renaissance.

Maybe next time around they'll come up with a great LP, but until then save your money for the cream on 45's.

-Shaun McShane