Southern gal Candi Staton has been making music for more than 30 years. In that time, she’s successfully tackled R&B, soul, disco, house music, and gospel. Her fans are many, and they include Aretha Franklin, Mary J. Blige, and Cyndi Lauper. In Billboard’s Nov. 9 issue, Chrissie Hynde of the Pretenders hailed Staton as an inspiration. This digitally remastered “2 classic albums on 1 CD” collection finds Staton in her disco heyday. Originally released on Warner Bros. in the summer of 1976, the Dave Crawford-helmed Young Hearts Run Free delivered a handful of dancefloor/ crossover hits, including “Run to Me,” “Destiny,” and the title track—all of which prominently featured Staton’s raw, soul-drenched vocals in the spotlight. “What a Feeling” is delicious Southern soul, while the Donna Summer-inflected “Summer Time With You” finds Staton brimming with sensuality. Two years later, Staton’s House of Love, unlike 1977’s Music Speaks Louder Than Words, found the artist re-teaming with Crawford. The album’s crowning glory remains “Victim,” a sterling disco affair replete with Staton’s emotion-packed delivery, lively instrumentation, and ’50s-inspired doo-wops. Other highlights include “Honest I Do Love You” and the traditional gospel classic “Take My Hand, Precious Lord.” Two albums for the history books.—MP
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