AMG Review of Love Songs [Epic/Legacy]

Heather Phares
All Music Guide

Love Songs gathers a dozen of the O'Jays' most romantic songs from their Philadelphia International heyday in the early and mid-'70s, including such essentials as "992 Arguments," "Family Reunion," "Let Me Make Love to You," and "Stairway to Heaven." Though the collection features its fair share of quiet storm ballads and culminates with the group's ten-minute rendition of "Wildflower" from Live in London, it also features livelier looks at love, such as "Time to Get Down" and "Never Break Us Up." "Now That We Found Love," "Sunshine," and "You Got Your Hooks in Me" are some of the other highlights from this collection of songs from the O'Jays' softer side; since many of their definitive songs, such as "Back Stabbers" and "For the Love of Money," aren't exactly romantic, Love Songs doesn't feature as many of the group's biggest singles as a straightforward greatest-hits collection would, but it's a solid, smoothly soulful compilation nevertheless.