WE CAN MAKE IT – THE SYLVERS

The Sylvers: We Can Make It If We Try
The Sylvers: I Remember
From Sylvers II (Pride 1973)

One of the more amazing soul albums I know of. I LOVE this LP. While Jerry Butler and Keg Johnson did a good job on the first Sylvers LP, Johnson and Jerry Peters find a whole new level on this LP. The arrangements on here are great – soothing, soulful but with strong, underlying rhythms. This is obvious from the very start with “We Can Make It If We Try” where the two producers blend chicken scratch guitars, a flutter of horns and an anchoring breakbeat. Plus, the Sylvers sound fantastic on the cut – a great tune that makes them sound much more than just a Jackson 5 rip-off. And then there’s the smoky “I Remember” with its dark basslines and crunchy snares plus alluring vocals. Have I sung enough praises? Someone needs to reissue this.