The Joneses
Keepin’ Up With The Joneses
A2 Fire 2:50
A3 Our Love Song 7:25
A4 Hey Babe (Is The Gettin' Still Good?) Part 1 3:32
A5 Hey Babe (Is The Gettin' Still Good?) Part 2 2:05
B1 Sugar Pie Guy (Part 1) 3:40
B2 Sugar Pie Guy (Part 2) 3:45
B3 I Promise You 4:47
B4 Baby Don't Do It 2:58
B5 Please Let Me Stay 4:15
(Written by Glenn Dorsey and Wendell Noble)
Label: Mercury – SRM-1-1021
Format: Vinyl, LP, Album
Country: US
Released: 1974
Genre:
R&B Soul
Style: Seventies Soul, Disco
The 1974 debut album by The Joneses, Keepin' Up With The Joneses, is a highly regarded Philly soul record, praised for its blend of deep vocals, disco, funk, and sweet soul, featuring strong slow jams and charting singles.
The album is characterized as classic Philly soul, with lush arrangements and an unrelenting backbeat that shifts between disco and funk. It blends touches of doo-wop and sweet soul, showcasing the versatility of the Baltimore studio musicians who played on it.
Key Tracks:
"Sugar Pie Guy" (Parts 1 & 2): This uptempo number is the group's most remembered recording and a major club hit, praised for its catchy, "sugary" blend of disco and funk. Reviewers note that the 45 rpm version has an even harder bass and drum sound compared to the album versions.
"Please Let Me Stay": Highlighted as a standout slow jam on the LP, this track is a "sweet song" with changing vocal deliveries. It is described as a "sleeper joint" on an album full of charting singles.
"Hey Babe (Is The Gettin' Still Good?)": Another club hit that contributed to the album's success.
The album is considered excellent by some sources and has a high average user rating on platforms like Discogs, with ratings around 4.3 to 4.6 out of 5 stars across various releases. It's seen as a reflection of a band successfully keeping up with the changing musical styles of the mid-70s.