Now two steps away from the soulful funk of 1976′s Love to the World LP, L.T.D. were nevertheless still cast firmly in their mold, a foothold that would last until vocalist (and drummer) Jeffrey Osborne’s departure in 1980 for his own lengthy, and successful, solo career. In the meantime, though, the group would take four albums into the charts, including 1978′s Togetherness. While still a delicious blend of the fiery beats and earnest soul the band was expected to deliver, Togetherness showcased a sound that was beginning to favor the more commercially viable strains of R&B. Heard forcefully across the energetic “Holding On (When Love Is Gone),” with its understated horns and fat bassline, and the beautiful ballad “We Both Deserve Each Other’s Love,” this transition was still a treat in any form. Both tracks were textured vehicles for Osborne’s to-die-for vocals — and both peeled off the LP to give L.T.D. respective number one and number 19 hits. The rest of Togetherness wraps songs in the same vein around several snappy funk tracks, most notably “Jam,” which is a classic old-school groove, and “Together Forever,” which brings both horns and bass to the fore, while Osborne steps back and gruffs up his vocals. Such a blend would have seemed disparate in the hands of a lesser band, but L.T.D. were always able to create a marriage between sound and style with a sureness and warmth that never failed to please. And even though the funk was fading from this set, Togetherness still emerged a near-perfect album. – Amy Hanson