by Ed Hogan
Lamont Dozier enlisted Grade A L.A. musicians, including fellow Motown alumnus, bassist James Jamerson, for his 1976 Warner Bros. debut, Right There -- an engaging set of soul and pop music. The first single, the smooth ballad &Can't Get Off Until the Feeling Stops,& was in the vein of his earlier hit, &&Let Me Start Tonite.& Dozier vocally milks the smooth-as-molasses groovers: &Groovin' on a Natural High,& &With a Little Bit of Mending (We Could Be as Good as New),& &Joy,& &Ain't Never Loved Nobody (Like I Love You),& &Wild Frame of Mind,& and &Good Eye.& The singer/songwriter/producer reworks The Four Tops' &It's the Same Old Song,& giving it a restrained, classical sheen through the use of a prominent string section. Right There runs a very close second to being Dozier's best, and most consistent LP, but that distinction belongs to Working On You.