Eddie Kendricks (1976) The Sweeter You Treat Her - LOST 70s GEMS

He's a Friend mixes punchy horns and sprightly Motown melody with Philadelphia International Strings; it's discofied in parts and is draped in Kendricks' mellow falsetto. The horns are smoky and stacked and high register for that classic 70s soul sound, while the chorus reveals a Christian element to the title; makes sense, he is your friend! The Sweeter You Treat Her starts with the most gorgeous rendering of harps and electric sitar along with dreamy horns as Kendricks falsetto floats in; it's beautiful as the chorus slides in with a aching vocal line. Never Gonna Leave You bears a similar gossamer sheen drawn from Philly Soul's majestic arrangements, as does A Part of Me which starts with some fantastic crisscrossing harp trills, while the supreme harmony laden I Won't Take No features a strong Jackson Five sound. Chains is classic sou with sprightly beat driving strings playing a syncopated scale up, undercut by slicing string sections, It's Not What You Got is another of his penchant for long phrases for titles and is a jam based around a guttural clavinet boogie, buzzing horns and multi-tracked, flowery synth parts and On My Way Home is upbeat and big and with a lovely harmonised message.