A disco compilation spotlighting female vocalists seems almost as silly as a collection of
Al Green love songs -- no one is bound to read the title of this compilation and think, with relief, "It's about time!" -- but
Disco Discharge: Disco Ladies offers too enjoyable a mix of established disco classics and cult favorites to let that issue get in the way. Released alongside the
Classic Disco,
Euro Disco, and
Gay Disco & Hi NRG volumes of the
Disco Discharge series, the
Harmless label pulls up 22 additional club singles spanning the mid-'70s through the early '80s. Most of the selections would make just as much sense on the other double-disc
Disco Discharge comps, as is the case with two relatively unassuming productions from Euro-disco architect
Giorgio Moroder,
Suzi Lane's
"Harmony" and
Janis Ian's
"Fly Too High," the latter a highlight of the
Foxes soundtrack (present here in its lengthier 12" version). Even if you've snapped up dozens of disco compilations since the early '90s, there shouldn't be too much overlap, with
Andrea True Connection's
"More, More, More" as the only truly comped-to-death inclusion here. Plenty of '80s gems here, including
Suzy-Q's
"Get on Up," Vicky "D"'s
"This Beat Is Mine," and the
Shep Pettibone mix of
Phyllis Nelson's
"I Like You." ~ Andy Kellman
