For many soul music fans, the Chairmen of the Board fell off the radar in around '74, but lovers of Carolina Beach Music know that most of the last 30 years the group has been, as their 1995 album said, Alive and Kickin,' touring and making enjoyable, danceable records with the feel of late 60s and early 70s soul. All In The Family continues in this manner, combining a number of new compositions with covers of classic General Johnson 70s material like "You've Gotta Crawl" (a hit for the 8th Day) and "Somebody's Been Sleepin'" (a smash for 100 Proof Aged in Soul). It's a fun album, with Johnson and strong tenor Danny Woods alternating leads on the mostly upbeat material. The covers sound great as do the Memphis soul "You're the One," the nice title cut and the more modern ballad "I'll Be There for You," among others. Best of all, the disc includes "Bless Your Heart," one of the group's finest songs ever and a wonderful Summer drive-with-your-windows-down track. All In The Family is unashamedly old school and is a welcome re-introduction to one of the all-time great Soul groups. Recommended.
By Chris Rizik
