The O’Jays

It starts with two iconic voices that are as unmistakable as they are soaring polar opposites. Indeed, the gruff, powerful Eddie Levert and the proverbial silky smooth Walter Williams, Sr., both founding members of the celebrated R&B group The O’Jays, are so ingrained in the great American songbook that their body of work has become an indelible landmark in the pop culture consciousness. We all know the anthems that for more than four decades have moved seamlessly from soul and pop to funk and disco: “Love Train,” “For The Love of Money,” “Livin’ for the Weekend,” “Family Reunion,” “Stairway to Heaven,” “I Love Music,” “Cry Together…”

The hits are endless; The O’Jays’ legacy, as documented by their profound influence on hip-hop (EPMD’s “Give The People,” Heavy D & The Boyz’ “Now That We Found Love,” Big Pun’s “I’m Not A Player,” Drake’s “Fake Love”) to soul (Erykah Badu’s “Otherside of the Game,” Total’s “Tell Me,” Angie Stone’s “Wish I Didn’t Miss You”) is undeniable. With 10 gold and 9 platinum albums, omnipresent singles, and a string of sold-out tours, no one would blame The O’Jays for sitting back and enjoying the fruits of their remarkable 60-year career. But Eddie and Walter, along with group member Eric Nolan Grant, are different kinds of cats.

So it’s no surprise that on The Last Word, The O’Jays’ first studio album in 15 years and what the band has announced will be their FINAL album, emotes the same hunger and vocal craftsmanship as the 2005 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee’s greatest ‘70s and ‘80s works. The 9-track S-Curve/BMG release, due out April 19, finds the Grammy-nominated act in fine form.

The Last Word was produced by the Grammy nominated producers Steve Greenberg, Mike Mangini and R&B legend Betty Wright (the trio behind Joss Stone’s “Soul Sessions”), along with the songwriter and rock/pop mastermind Sam Hollander (Panic! at the Disco, Weezer, Neon Trees).