Two Tons O’ Fun
★★★★
Two Tons O’ Fun
SOUTHBOUND. LP
1980 debut from Sylvester’s ‘girls’ who later became The Weather Girls.
Martha Wash and Izora Rhodes Armstead brought grit and intensity to disco, first as Sylvester’s backing singers, then as the somewhat forgotten duo Two Tons O’ Fun who made two excellent LPs, their first, 1980’s self-titled – receiving its first repress on vinyl since its original issue here – and the same year’s follow-up Backatcha. Working with producer Harvey Fuqua of Moonglows/Motown fame, the pair – like Sylvester – dealt in the fantasy self, exploring notions of identity and inclusivity on their debut’s four singles. The first three, Earth Can Be Just Like Heaven, I Got The Feeling and Just Us, are the perfect blend of church-honed raw performance, hi-energy vibrations and pop nous; the fourth, Taking Away Your Space, their stirring rumination featuring Sylvester on keys.