Album of the Day

When it comes to '70s R&B, the Spinners were the cream of the crop, and PICK OF THE LITTER shows why. The 1975 collection was the group's fourth for Atlantic Records, and like their others for the label, was cut with Philly soul genius Thom Bell behind the boards. The quintet sing like angels, and if tenor Philippé Wynne got most of the attention, don't discount the velvety vocals of Bobby Smith (born on this day in 1936) and Henry Fambrough; Dionne Warwick makes an uncredited guest appearance for good measure. Eight tracks and not a dog among them - if ballads like “Sweet Love of Mine” predominate, there are several uptempo numbers as well, such as “Games People Play,” which topped the R&B singles chart. PICK OF THE LITTER reached the Top 10 on Billboard's album chart as well, becoming the Spinners' most successful LP.