The wonderful FIFTH DIMENSION have been in business for fifty years and to celebrate, the equally wonderful re-issue label, REAL GONE MUSIC, have just released a three CD set that brings together their complete singles for the Soul City and Bell labels. As a bonus there’s also the Fifth’s first two singles as “The Versatiles”. The first was recorded for Bronco while the second was their first release on Johnny Rivers’ Soul City label before they changed their name. You also get the group’s only Arista single… 1975’s ‘No Love In The Room’/’I Don’t Know How To Look For Love’.
Truly comprehensive, all the big ones are here, of course… ‘Stoned Soul Picnic’, ‘Wedding Bell Blues’ et al and many not so well known items like the lovely Jim Webb song ‘Rosecrans Boulevard’. Indeed apart from the magic harmonies that Billy Davis, Jr., Marilyn McCoo, Lamonte McLemore, Ron Townson and Florence LaRue (who still tours with an incarnation of the group) crafted, the group’s other trump card was the song writers they worked with…. Jimmy Webb, of course, but also people like Laura Nyro and Willie Hutch.
The collection naturally comes with a comprehensive Real Gone booklet crammed with archive pix and everything you could hope to know about the Fifth Dimension. We’ll bring you a full review very soon.
