Skyyport

In the late '70s and early '80s, producer Randy Muller was best known for two things: being a member of Brass Construction and working with Skyy. Both bands favored a funk/disco approach that brought many dancefloors to life, but there were some major differences between the two East Coast outfits. For one thing, Skyy had three female vocalists. Plus, Skyy was a lot more consistent. While Brass Construction recorded its share of albums that were uneven or disappointing, Skyy was usually reliable — more often than not, one could safely assume that the latter would deliver a first-rate party album. Skyyport is no exception. This 1980 release was the band's third album, and the party people who had acquired Skyy's two previous albums were not disappointed. The LP gets off to an impressive start with the hit "Here's to You" (written by Muller), and they keep the creative momentum going with equally infectious funk dance numbers like "Superlove" (another hit single that Muller wrote) and "Take It Easy." So, if Brass Construction and Skyy both had Muller's input, why was the latter so much more consistent? It all came down to chemistry — he had a more consistently productive relationship with Skyy, which is interesting when you consider that Muller was actually a member of Brass Construction. Though he co-produced Skyyport and other band releases with Skyy's Soloman Roberts, Jr. and did a lot of writing for the band, he was never an actual member. One of the Skyyport offerings that he didn't write is the ballad "For the First Time," which Roberts contributed. Although ballads weren't the group's forte, the tune is pleasant enough. However, it is the up-tempo funk/dance numbers that ultimately define Skyyport and make it one of Skyy's best releases.