Friends And Buddies

About

Milton Wright recorded two fascinating synth-dusted funk albums for Henry Stone and Steve Alaimo’s Alston imprint in the mid-'70s. Neither record could be reckoned a commercial success, but both 1975’s <i>Friends and Buddies</i> and 1977’s <i>Spaced</i> were unusual, highly personal affairs notable for their lush arrangements, futuristic aesthetics, and inventive use of synthesizers. <i>Friends and Buddies</i> boasted a minor hit with the slinky, synth-drenched dance floor workout “Keep It Up.” The remainder of the album is equally accomplished. Listeners fond of Marvin Gaye’s experiments with synthetic textures on 1978’s acrimonious masterpiece <i>Here My Dear</i> will find much to appreciate here. Though the rank and file of Alston’s ace session musicians—including Latimore, Timmy Thomas, and Milton’s more famous sister Betty Wright—all make appearances on <i>Friends and Buddies</i>, the album remains thoroughly idiosyncratic. It's a few degrees more eccentric than the streamlined disco funk that Alston was becoming famous for during this period.

via Apple Music