AMG Review of 78 in the Shade

Bruce Eder
All Music Guide

Playmates and 78 in the Shade are a pair of mid-'70s reunion albums that did little to advance the group's reputation. The recording on Playmates, in particular, seems flat and muted, and while 78 in the Shade comes off better, it still wasn't going to make anyone forget the band's early history or revive its fortunes, either.