Tavares (1974) If That's the Way You Want It - LOST70sGEMS

 Tavares 1974 debut Check It Out is aptly named for any debut, but in a crowded marketplace of soft ballad groups they didn't bring anything new to the genre over more creative arrangements by The Temprees and Black Ivory. It's electric sitar flecked blues arrangements, opening track If That's the Way You Want It displays their tough youthful vocals, but often songs like Thats The Sound That Lonely Makes sound like the Spinners with a bit more funk. The title track is languid with no groove which is made up for on the very next track; the O Jays discofied sound of Wish You Were With Me Mary. I'll Never Say Never Again points to their future covering blue eyed soul artists like the Bee Gees and Hall and Oates with more smoothness and authenticity. The soldier drums of epic ballad Little Girl promises a lot of talent in the astonishing vocal prowess but the lyrics and arrangements still don't crackle like with other artists of the time; they needed their own style badly.  The adaption of Ring-a-roses for the opening of the sly tune Mama's Little Girl is their most memorable, the vocals still have a nice sound but they need more instrumental ingenuity like that short nursery rhyme opening that repeats at the end.