The Isley Brothers - Winner Takes All

Winner Takes all

It's the Isley during a time when they were just on fire.
If you are a fan you have to have this one too. August 13, 2008

The bloom was coming off the rose, starting here

"Winner Takes All" was somewhat of a creative setback for The Isley Brothers. The band was making a transition from its rock-and-soul sound to one more suited for the dancefloor/disco scene of the late '70s. Unfortunately, some of the songs are filler and for the first time the classic sound shows some wear and tear.

It seems like Ernie and Marvin Isley wanted more of the slapping guitar-and-bass sound popularized by The Brothers Johnson. It works on the lead single "I Wanna Be with You" and the title track, arguably the best uptempo songs. However, it was getting a little repetitive by the time you heard "It's a Disco Night (Rock Don't Stop)" and "Liquid Love" sounds like the group was struggling to merge its classic rock style with the newer style.

Fortunately, The Isley Brothers didn't abandon their penchant for ballads. In fact, because "Winner" is a double album it gave them the leeway to put more ballads than usual on an album. The ballad "Let's Fall in Love" seems to pick up where "Groove with You" left off and two-fer "You're the Key to My Heart" and "You're beside Me" are two great songs married together by Ernie Isley's guitar playing. Add the yearning of "Love Comes and Goes" and the slow drags, while not as brilliant as some of their earlier ballads, are the true gems.

In the pantheon of the 3+3 era, I would rank this as The Isley Brothers' ninth best album. It's an above-average set and even good in certain spots, but it pales compared to their first six albums and IMO ranks behind "Go All the Way" and "Between the Sheets." August 10, 2008

A gem - just rediscovered

Back in 1979, when the Mothership was the only place I wanted to be and only the deepest funk jams would satisfy, a friend loaned me this 2LP set. It blew me away and God knows why I didn't buy it then.

In the last two weeks I was playing my copy of an Isleys compilation featuring the title track (blown away all over again)and as the price of Winner Take All has dropped sinfully low, I dived right in. Wow - all the things said here about an underrated album are 100% true. Since the first time I heard "That Lady" in 1973, this band have enthralled me and this blissful mix of silky vocals, blistering intrumental work, hard funk and lovely ballads means the fascination will continue...

Isleys, I love you, love you, LOVE YOU! December 9, 2005

Truly A Winner

This album is underrated, plain and simple. Back in the day people must have been turned off because it was a double album and it was the height of disco. Well even the tracks that have some disco nuances are still funky. The first 3 songs, 'I Wanna Be With You', 'Liquid Love' and 'Winner Takes All' are pure funk while 'Life In The City' clocks in at 8 minutes and has an extended breakdown with some serious guitar riffs from Ernie. The album slows down with the mid-tempo groove of '(Can't You See) What You Do To Me?' and slows down even further with 'Let's Fall In Love' one of their best slow jams. This isn't one of their more well-remembered albums but it's just as good as '3+3' or 'Go For Your Guns'. August 22, 2004

A undervalued classic

While other Isley Albums get better notice, this is a hot album. I wanna be with you, winner takes all, liquid love, and Disco night are tunes that made people move back in the days!!! December 16, 2003

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