Whitten & Tod Self-Titled Sold Sound Inc. Year Unknown

So much going on with hair here.

Nice Canadian tuxedos.

Whitten & Tod Self-Titled Sold Sound Inc. Year Unknown CAT# W&T 701

First time I saw this LP was at the Olathe Savers. Turned it over, saw that it was made in KCMO and was ready to pull the trigger. Then I checked the condition and it was tore up; unplayable. The second time I saw it was across the street at the Olathe Goodwill. Which would indicate to me that the band gigged in and around Olathe or had multiple players from Olathe.

Nevertheless, the band's private label, Solid Sound Inc., indicates the home base is Kansas City, MO. Whitten & Tod have three releases out there. This, a 45 and another LP both from 1975 per Discogs. Appears the 1975 releases are more of a folk-rock affair. This album appears to come out in the late-70's or possibly early-80's and is a clear attempt to get the folks around town dancing.

The LP consists of entirely cover songs. It's not a terrible thing, some of their covers are easy disco and if you heard it played at wedding in Kansas City by Whitten & Todd, you'd be like, "That's a great fucking wedding band." The album becomes awful though when they step off the disco covers...Like dreadfully bad.

And, I say that in the nicest way, the group Whitten & Tod put together is pretty capable. Benny Whitten, the handsome fellow on the back cover with a mustache, arranged and produced the LP and it has a few highlights. The cover of "Bread's "Lost Without Your Love" is disco-fied with a highlight being some psych guitar work thrown in. Kiki Dee Band's "I Got the Music In Me" gets a hard-rock disco groove. And the covers like "You Make Me Feel Like Dancing", "Car Wash", and "Superstrut" are pleasant enough (although, you'd take the originals over Whitten & Tod). At it's best, it's a disco LP, but don't let anybody tell you it's funk, it's way too white for that.

Danny Cox Feel So Good Casablanca 1974

Danny Cox Feel So Good Casablanca 1974 CAT# NBLP 7008

Danny Cox was a KC transplant, brought to the city after teaming up with Good Karma management in KC. His early work is primarily as a folk artist with a soulful voice and a steady acoustic guitar. This LP found him on the Casablanca label, known for their over the top production of both rock and disco artists.

For what could have turned into an absolute disaster, Cox turned in a decent album of some original tunes. Reviewing his past releases, you can sense that his label tipped the tracks into the soul/disco realm, but Cox isn't completely drowned out. There is still a sense of his roots throughout the album and some of the funk elements add to the LP.

It has become is best known LP as it had some promotion behind it and fit in well with it's times. It's a dance album and has a lot of groove. It wasn't enough of a success to continue on the Casablanca label, but it was a worthy attempt at finding a larger audience.

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