KNIGHT TIME + A LITTLE KNIGHT MUSIC (9841941)

In 1973, Gladys Knight and the Pips noved to Buddah Records and their career went to another level. In response, Motown quickly compiled two albums of leftovers and outtakes from the group’s repertoire from Motown released 1974’s Knight Time and the following year’s A Little Knight Music to respond to Gladys and the Pips’new-found glory.

Both reached the US R&B Top 40 although failed to crossover to the pop market despite containing some interesting material. Knight Time is a diverse collection. There’s the kind of sophisticated balladry that would sit well at a supper club or a late night jazz bar, motored wholly by Gladys’ passionate delivery, songs such as We’ve Got Such A Mellow Love, Ease Me To The Ground and the Jim Weatherly penned lament Between Her Goodbye And My Hello. Elsewhere there is more dancefloor driven material like the uptempo, infectious Johnny Bristol penned Somebody Stole The Sunshine and sassy swings like 1971’s Pam Sawyer/Joe Hinton scribed, How Can You Say That Ain’t Love that is wrapped in sensuous brass and strings. But it’s Billy Come As Quick As You Can, It’s All Over But The Shoutin’ and Your Heartaches Can Surely Heal that provide the real treasure here.

A Little Knight Music, meanwhile, concentrates on Gladys and her Pips’ inimitable knack at interpretation. Even the Archies’ Sugar Sugar is made their own, in their hands becoming a soulful gem shorn of its bubblegum frivolousness. Elsewhere they tackle The Beatles’ Come Together and Jackie DeShannon’s Put A Little Love In Your Heart to great effect.