Ashford and Simpson

Nickolas Ashford and Valerie Simpson had already established themselves as songwriters by the time the first of these two albums was released in 1973. They had worked on songs for the likes of Marvin Gaye, Aretha Franklin and The 5th Dimension before deciding to launch their career as a performance duo. Soon after getting married, the couple released Gimme Something Real. Their blossoming romance comes across in the cover artwork and in the tight harmonies and pure pop interplay.

While only remembered in the UK, in terms of chart hits, for 1985's Solid (As a Rock), the pair sprinkled hits across the R&B charts in the United States for several years, including their debut I'd Know You Anywhere, which is included here although it was not on the original release. The likes of Have You Ever Tried It continued the same formula but there are also the cornier ballads, such as Gimme Something Real, which over time travels less well.

The follow-up, I Wanna Be Selfish, found Ashford & Simpson perfecting that pop soul sound, with Spoiled and Everybody's Got To Give It Up proving popular templates for future hits for dozens of artists. The pair's influence is probably underestimated, but listening to these two albums shows why they were recognised with an entry into the Songwriters Hall of Fame. Coming a few years after the death of Ashford, these are lovingly put together remasters, with a poignant new interview with Simpson and a small amount amount of bonus material.