Lost In Tyme Blog

The Isley Brothers at the top of their game. Classic tracks suchas Who's That Lady and Summer Breeze blend effortlessly with moody heartfelt numbers like Don't Let Me Be Lonely Tonight and The Highways of My Life.

Listen again and again. It's great!!

Tracks
1 That Lady, Pts. 1 & 2 (5:34)
2 Don't Let Me Be Lonely Tonight (4:02)
3 If You Were There (3:23)
4 You Walk Your Way (3:05)
5 Listen to the Music (4:05)
6 What It Comes Down To (3:54)
7 Sunshine (Go Away Today) (4:22)
8 Summer Breeze (6:13)
9 Highways of My Life (4:17)

The Reviews

1
Recorded in 1973, 3 + 3 was a major turning point for the Isley Brothers. With this album, the Isleys moved their T-Neck label from Buddah to Epic/CBS (which became Epic/Sony in the early '90s), and it was at Epic that they unveiled their new lineup. Lead singer Ronald Isley and his siblings O'Kelly and Rudolph remained, but the Isleys became a sextet instead of a trio when cousin Chris Jasper and younger brothers Ernie and Marvin were added. This new lineup was called 3 + 3, and the addition of Jasper on keyboards, Ernie on guitar, and Marvin on bass added exciting new elements to the Isleys' sound. One of finest R&B bassists of the 1970s, the ever-so-funky Marvin is in a class with heavyweights like Larry Graham and Louis Johnson -- and Ernie is a stunning guitarist who is heavily influenced by Jimi Hendrix but has a distinctive style of his own. The Isleys had always been lovers of rock, but with the addition of Ernie, their sound became even more overtly rock-influenced. Nonetheless, the rock and pop elements didn't alienate R&B audiences, which ate this album up. The single "That Lady" (which is based on an Impressions-like gem they had recorded in 1964) was a major hit, and the Isleys are equally captivating on soul interpretations of Seals & Crofts' "Summer Breeze," James Taylor's "Don't Let Me Be Lonely Tonight," and the Doobie Brothers' "Listen to the Music." With this superb album, the Isley Brothers sounded better than ever -- and they gained a lot of new fans without sacrificing the old ones.

2
After their contract with Buddha expired in 1973, the Isleys were offered a long-term contract with Epic Records. Taking their T-Neck imprint with them, the brothers quickly went into the studio but this time as a sextet. That year, original members O'Kelly, Jr., Rudolph and Ronald decided to put Ernie, Marvin and Jasper into the forefront turning the original vocal trio into a band. The result of this transformation resulted in their groundbreaking album that year, 3 + 3, which featured their Top 10 pop smash "That Lady, Pt. 1 & 2", their top five R&B follow-up, "What It Comes Down To" and their seminal cover of Seals & Crofts' "Summer Breeze". Certified platinum, it was the brothers' first of a string of gold and platinum records the band would score throughout a ten-year tenure. Along the way, they not only did funk anthems and rock covers but also quiet storm slow songs and disco club hits.