René & Angela's obvious enthusiasm and for-real emotions make
listening to Street Called Desire a pleasure. The uptempo numbers
aren't jokes -- the throbbing beat on "I'll Be Good" is mind
locking, but the two ballads, "You Don't Have to Cry" and
"Your Smile," are outstanding. What makes them work is their
unpredictability. No particular or predetermined pattern is set. No
attempt is made to divide the lines and choruses equally; each singer
unselfishly contributes what's necessary. "Smile" is mostly Angela
until René
repeatedly chants "No other love can light my life, no one can make
things right, 'til my baby smiles." René
has more juice on "You Don't Have to Cry," matching
alternating verses with Angela,
who gives an incredible performance on the heart-stopping ballad. René's
brother Bobby
Watson (formerly of Rufus)
co-produced the sides with Bruce
Swedien. "Save Your Love for Number #1" and "Your
Smile" both reached number one R&B; "You Don't Have to
Cry" went to number two, and "I'll Be Good" climbed to
number four. Billboard's pop chart proved a tougher nut for R&A to
scale, as a number 47 ranking for "I'll Be Good" was their
highest number. Due to personal problems and conflicts, the duo called
it quits and released no more LPs. This one is essential for any soul
music aficionado.