Dramatics – New Dimension CD (Expansion)

FIRST TIME ON CD RE-MASTERED FROM THE ORIGINAL MASTER TAPES

The Dramatics are one of the best vocal soul groups of all time, the quality of their work always of the highest standard.

“New Dimension” was the one album The Dramatics recorded for Capitol Records, a label also host to L.J. Reynolds who simultaneously left the group and recorded two Capitol classic albums “L.J. Reynolds” and “Travelin’”, also reissued by Expansion in recent times.

The group’s founder member Ron Banks both produced the album and largely co-wrote the songs with his keyboard player Raymond Johnson. On “New Dimension”, The Dramatics are Ron Banks, Willie Ford, Lenny Mayes and new member Craig Jones. The lead single was “Live It Up”, released on 12”, but that’s not a song that defines the album. Instead it shines with the mellower grooves, some of which we now call ‘two-step’ (“Treat Me Right”), feel good uplifting ‘love vibes’ (“I Can’t Stand It”) and the timeless quality of “I Believe In You” which is a clear indication to me of the ethereal flavour of where Ron Banks would take his own solo album “Truly Bad” the following year.

Commercially, “New Dimensions” was not a triumph for The Dramatics, but at Expansion we celebrate quality first and on that level this album does not disappoint. -Expansion