Philly soul artist/producer
Bunny Sigler
's third album for
Gamble & Huff
's
Philadelphia International Records
label,
My Music
marked the first time he used his protege band
Instant Funk
on an entire album.
Sigler
seems better for it since he lets his creativity fill the album with engaging surprises. The opener,
"I'm the Bunny From the Other Side of the Ocean,"
is filled with humor, jokey asides, and a tight horn section. The thumpin' percolating title track, co-written by
,
Leon Huff
, and
McFadden & Whitehead
(
"Aint No Stoppin' Us Now"
), slowly builds instrument by instrument as
directs each band member to come in, then the whole funk lesson becomes peppered with
James Brown
-ish horn riffs. The effervescent
"Thank You Baby for Last Night"
and the laid-back bounce groover
"Come on and Dance, Dance, Dance"
are nice numbers to kick back with.
eccentricities come to the forefront on the street-slick
/
T.Life
song
"Ladies Man"
and the samba-flavored
"Calling Me Back,"
which has sharp lyrics. The lush, sweepingly romantic
"Somebody Loves You,"
co-written with
Life
and arranger
Richard Rome
(aka
Richie Rome
), testifies to the redemptive power of love. Going into the 21st century
's fans would ask him when he was going to re-record the song or when the original version would be available on CD. He co-wrote (with
Eugene "Lambchops" Curry
) the similarly themed
"Somebody Loves You Baby (You Know Who It Is),"
a 1991 million selling single for
Patti Labelle
from her
Burnin'
album.
's brother,
Jimmy Sigler
, wrote the joyous
"Can't Believe That You Love Me."
One track from this album, the introspective slow jam/
Opals
tribute
"Just Let Me Love You Tonight,"
is on the 1996
Sony Legacy
CD,
The Best of Bunny Sigler: Sweeter Than the Berry
. ~ Ed Hogan