LP Review: Once Upon A Dream
Released: 1977
Enchantment followed up their spectacularly really good debut album with another spectacularly really good album in Once Upon A Dream.
The album opener is the sugary “Sunny Shine Feeling”, which is followed by the delectably funky “If You're Ready (Here It Comes)”, which reached #14 R&B when released as a single. I cannot express how fun these two songs are in their sugar-funkness. Absolute smile-making music right here.
After the eight minutes or so of boogie, the vocal group hits the brakes and slows every thang down with “It’s You That I Need”. The song is a tour de force going from soft and subtle to full-on wall of sound by the time it’s through. It belongs in the pantheon of begging R&B songs—y’know songs where a dejected pathetic man begs for a woman to take him back.
The dramatic ballad became Enchantment’s first and only #1 R&B hit and their second and final top 40 pop single (#33).
Side 1 finishes up with the alright “You’re the One”. It’s standard fare light disco-soul. Professionally performed, but it’s not winning any new fans for the group.
Side 2 begins with “You Must Be an Angel/Up Higher”, which merges the approaches of the album’s first two tracks as it alternates between majestic, chugging disco and reprieves of sweet honey-dripping soul. When the song then transforms into its “Higher” portion the sweetness is completely abandoned for an all out musical assault. A squawking saxophone and a bongo breakdown let you know it’s completely time to get down.
“Silly Love Song” is every bit of the melodrama its title implies. You only truly appreciate how good that song is once “Angel Of My Life” comes in on its heels. “Silly Love Song” has soul while “Angel Of My Life” feels like melodrama for melodrama’s sake.
And the LP concludes with another melodramatic ballad: “Trying to Get over (With You)”. It’s a top-notch banger and sounds like a warmup for a future jam of theirs to come on the ensuing album.
ALBUM GRADE: B+
I think this is an absolute must-have/must-listen for any 70s soul fans and would easily be the group’s most commercially successful album (#8 R&B, #46 pop). The notes lead singer EJ Johnson hits are continuously unbelievable and make even the lesser songs listenable. And the other group members never fail to provide luxurious backing harmonies nestled within a splendid production that is cleaner than the somewhat muddy sound quality of their debut.
That production is built on rock solid live instrumentation and well arranged orchestration with the exception of sprinkles of keyboard magic to give “Sunny Shine Feeling”, “If You’re Ready”, and “You Must Be An Angel” their whimsical feels.
Song Scores
Sunny Shine Feeling: 8/10
If You're Ready (Here It Comes): 9/10
It’s You That I Need: 9/10
You’re the One: 6/10
You Must Be an Angel/Up Higher: 8/10
Silly Love Song: 7.5/10
Angel Of My Life: 5/10
Trying to Get over (With You): 8/10