Ann Peebles: If This Is Heaven *** 1977

By 1977, straight-ahead Southern soul had stopped selling in big numbers and disco had taken over the R&B market, and like many of her peers, soul diva Ann Peebles tried to make the best of matters by turning up the groove quotient on her album of that year, If This Is Heaven. Peebles, one of the best and most underrated soul songbirds of the '70s, had already demonstrated she could work wonders with a dance-friendly track on her previous set, 1975's Tellin' It, and this album's first two cuts, 'A Good Day for Lovin'' and 'If This Is Heaven', find her and producer Willie Mitchell leaning toward dancefloor ready soul numbers while still leaving a taste of their classic-style Memphis groove in the mix. The levitating arrangements of the Memphis Strings and the counter-punching horn section leave enough space for Peeble's wrenching, tortured vocals to do their magic in southern soul-styled tunes like 'I'm So Thankful', a solid soul shot about a contented wife and mother which she wrote herself, reflecting her then-current status as a new mom. In the slow bluesy side of things, 'You're Gonna Make Me Cry' finds Peebles singing her usual tale of love with the passion, force, and clarity that made her a legend. Other titles include 'When I'm in Your Arms', 'Games' and 'Boy I Gotta Have You'. This reissue also features a bonus track, the non-album single B-side, 'Fill This World with Love.'