If you looked at one of
the Silver Convention
's publicity shots in 1976, you would have seen a picture of vocalists
Penny McLean
,
Ramona Wolf
, and
Rhonda Heath
. But
Michael Kunze
and
Silvester Levay
were running the show. They founded the group and took care of the producing and songwriting --
McLean
Wolf
Heath
were essentially there to carry out
Kunze
Levay
's ideas. And on
's third album,
Madhouse
decided to play up the funkier elements in the group's Euro-disco sound. There are plenty of swirling strings on this 1976 LP, and the production is still ultra-slick. Even so,
"The World Is a Madhouse,"
"Plastic People,"
"I'm Not a Slot Machine"
are among
's funkier offerings -- certainly not funky in a
Labelle
or
Pointer Sisters
type way, but funky by
's Euro-disco standards. And on
"Everybody's Talking 'Bout Love"
(one of the group's best singles),
sound like they're really trying to connect with fans of female northern soul groups like
First Choice
the Three Degrees
.
Save Me
remains
's most essential album, but
runs a close second. ~ Alex Henderson