Invictus the label launched by Holland Dozier and Holland in 1968 after their demise from Motown two years earlier, had produced hits on both sides of the Atlantic for the likes of Freda Payne, Chairmen Of The Board, 8th Wonder, Laura lee just to name a few. At the time the company understandably went with the most commercial tracks in order to target the record buying public and whilst these songs charted via 'Band Of Gold/Give Me Just A Little More Time' etc, any soul fan worth his or her salt will tell you that the real gems never saw the light of day as 45's and were often hidden on the backs of albums waiting to be discovered in the future.
This collection of club classics whilst representing an excellent insight into the varied songs to come out of this legendary label may best be termed as 'rare groove' classics, as a number of the non singles are somewhat specialized and do not fit in as being mainstream. That doesn't take away the quality of these songs.
The CD opens with the Northern Soul favourite of 1972 with 'Sliced Tomatoes' from the Just Brothers (didn't this come out on Music Merchant?) a mindless instrumental that has remained popular with northern fans and collectors over the years and I remember buying my copy at the Torch All-nighter in Tunstall back in '72' where it was first played.
Freda Payne's gorgeous offering in 'The Unhooked Generation' is included here and one wonders why she wasn't a bigger star than she actually was as one would argue she was the best female voice on the label. Check out other material from her on her Sequel CD NEMCD 969 which includes the original studio take of 'Band Of Gold' which not only sounds different to the one issued but is the version I always play.
More Northern Soul this time with the excellent 'Love Factory' from Eloise Laws which has been a modern soul favourite for years now after been discovered I suspect by Ian Levine at Blackpool Mecca in the mid seventies. Despite being a good track it comes nowhere near the rest of her other material found on her CD as reviewed elsewhere on this page (NEMCD 434).
The now legendary Jones Girls bow in with a good club track entitled 'Taster Of The Honey' and gives the listener an insight what was to come later that decade via their association with Gamble and Huff's Philadelphia International Record label. You can always count of the lovely Laura Lee to deliver the goods and she does not disappoint on 'If I'm Good Enough To Love' and piece of mid tempo magic centred around a typical early seventies groove.
One of my favourite tracks on this set must be the excellent 'Want Ads' from the Honeycone. This all female trio featured one Sandy Wynns (best known for her northern soul classic 'A Touch Of Venus') singing about an advert placed in the local newspaper for a man in their life. Well produced and extremely commercial which is why it probably saw a UK single release in 1971. Other Honeycone material can be found on their Sequel CD entitles 'Cone To The Bone' (NEMCD 968).
I was pleased that I had kept my UK demo of Tyrone Edwards' superb modern side 'Can't Get Enough Of You' which sounds as good today as when I first discovered it back in '74'. This must rate amongst one of the best modern cross-over tracks in recent years and it is no wonder that it is much sought after.
Well you know what they say about saving the best for last, and this is no exception as we are left with the superb 'Why Can't We Be Lovers' by Holland and Dozier which apart from being a great song gives us a rare glimpse of Lamont Doziers's singing talents and future LP's on Warner Brothers in the eighties bear testament to this, with the all time favourite 'Going Back To My Roots'.
Invictus club classics is a credible release but you may find it useful to hear the tracks in question rather than buying on speck as they may not appeal to the more commercial listener, however, if you are already aware of these songs then a purchase is essential.
Personal
rating 7/10
Expect
to pay around £9.99 in the UK
Released
23rd August 1999.