Tyrone Davis
In The Mood
Written-By – D. Ellis, P. Richmond, R. Locke, Jr.
4:09
A2 You Know What To Do
Written-By – L. Graham
5:48
A3 I Can't Wait
Written-By – L. Graham
3:52
A4 Keep On Dancin'
Written-By – L. Graham, P. Richmond
3:37
B1 I Don't Think You Heard Me
Written-By – E. Fisher, L. Graham
3:59
B2 Ain't Nothing I Can Do
Written-By – L. Graham, P. Richmond
4:44
B3 All The Love I Need
Written-By – L. Graham, P. Richmond
3:40
B4 We Were In Love Then
Written-By – W. Hatchet
3:58
Label: Columbia – JC 35723
Format: Vinyl, LP, Album
Country: US
Released: 1979
Genre: R&B Soul
Style: Seventies Soul, Funk, Disco
In The Mood With Tyrone Davis (1979) is a highly regarded, polished soul-funk album produced by Leo Graham and Paul Richmond, featuring the Billboard R&B top 10 title track. It successfully blends lush, modern Philly-influenced arrangements with Southern soul roots, showcasing Davis’s smooth, honeyed vocals across romantic ballads and dance-oriented tracks like "You Know What to Do".
The album is noted for its tight, high-quality production, balancing orchestrated ballads with funky mid-tempo tracks. Reviews praise the "tight and warm" production, featuring lush strings, blazing horns, and funky bass lines that complement Davis's soulful, sometimes raspy vocals.
The title track, "In the Mood" (Billboard Soul #6), and "Ain't Nothing I Can Do" (Soul #72) are highlights. Other tracks include the funky "You Know What to Do" and the light shuffle "Keep on Dancin'".
Critics and listeners generally find the album to be an enjoyable, consistent listening experience. Later reissues have added bonus tracks, including single mixes of the main hits. Tyrone Davis is described as being in top form, delivering his signature, soulful vocal style.
It is often cited as a strong, underrated, or at least very solid entry in his late-70s Columbia catalog. Critics often highlight it as a "must-have" for fans of romantic soul ballads, noted for holding its own against the disco craze of the late '70s. The album holds a high user rating of approximately 4.5 out of 5 stars across platforms like Discogs and Musicboard.
Love And Touch
Written-By – L. Graham 4:19
A2 Close To You
Written-By – L. Graham, M. Koen 4:07
A3 Why Is It So Hard (To Say You're Sorry)
Written-By – D. Miller, L. Graham 5:33
A4 You're Too Much
Written-By – D. Miller, L. Graham 3:47
B1 Put Your Trust In Me
Written-By – L. Graham 5:00
B2 Givin' Myself To You
Written-By – L. Graham 4:00
B3 Wrong Doers
Written-By – L. Graham 4:55
B4 Beware, Beware
Written-By – J. Sibley, L. Graham 4:27
Label: Columbia – PC 34268
Format: Vinyl, LP, Album
Country: US
Released: 1976
Genre: R&B Soul
Style: Southern Soul, Disco
Tyrone Davis's Love & Touch is celebrated as a soulful, mellow pivot from his earlier Dakar Records work, showcasing his trademark sweet vocals with superb band musicianship, offering an addictive, relaxing soundtrack blending soul with smooth jazz elements that marked a fresh, evolving chapter in his career on Columbia Records, noted for its emotional depth and positive vibe.
The album is a quintessential example of Chicago soul, with production heavily influenced by Leo Graham, who wrote or co-wrote all the material. The sound is noted for being sophisticated, smooth, and danceable, moving into a more "discofied" soul style compared to his earlier work.
Davis's vocals are consistently praised for being "sweet and soulful" and "relaxed". The backing band also receives commendation for superb musicianship.
The album produced two successful singles:
"Give It Up (Turn It Loose)" was a major hit, reaching No. 2 on the Billboard Hot Soul Singles chart and No. 39 on the Billboard Hot 100.
"Close to You" reached No. 33 on the soul singles chart.
User and retrospective reviews are overwhelmingly positive, with ratings on platforms like Discogs averaging over 4 out of 5 stars. Fans consider it a great addition to any soul collection, appreciating the evolving sound and consistent quality of Davis's performance.
In summary, Love And Touch is a highly regarded album that successfully transitioned Tyrone Davis to a new record label, blending classic soul with contemporary (for the time) R&B and disco elements. It is viewed as a creative and commercial highlight in his extensive discography.