in full bloom

a birthday post & exploration of Rose Royce’s album of the same name

today is my 27th birthday and for the occasion, i revisited an album in my collection that was released on the same day — Rose Royce’s In Full Bloom, which originally debuted on this day in 1977.

i actually have two copies of this record — one has the LP, but the other is just the cover alone hanging on my wall. safe to say, i’m a fan! most of the songs on In Full Bloom were written and arranged by producer Norman Whitfield, who was influential in crafting the Motown sound; he was also a pioneer of 1960s psych soul. he helped assemble the group Rose Royce in the early 1970s — originally a band called Magic Wand. after meeting lead singer Gwen Dickey, Whitfield gave her the stage name Rose Norwalt. from here, the group debuted their first album in 1976, the soundtrack to the film Car Wash. nearly a year later, In Full Bloom was released.

this album opens with a whisper that grows to a bang — starting off with the ever-influential “Wishing On a Star,” a quiet storm staple that’s been sampled by Jay-Z, Pete Rock, Soul II Soul and many more. one of the most notable aspects of this 1977 album is how Gwen Dickey’s voice soars amidst the horns, guitar, and keys, especially on tracks like “You Can’t Please Everybody” and the hit single “Ooh Boy.”

In Full Bloom also perfectly balances out the ballads with long disco grooves, like the funk song “Do Your Dance.” this single is perfect for any given Soul Train line, clocking at 9 minutes long. the rest of the tracks fit this same pattern, making for an easy, upbeat listen. towards the end, “Love, More Love” gives you a dose of electric guitar and vocal harmonies that’s out of this world. the album closes with another long groove, “It Makes You Feel Like Dancin.” indeed, this album will inspire you to move.

for my birthday photoset, i referenced the rich gold statue that adorns the cover of In Full Bloom. it reminds me of the family trophies that my grandma always kept around the house when i was a child. it’s fitting as Rose Royce was definitely a part of my childhood soundtrack — from rides in my aunt’s car listening to “Car Wash” to hearing my sister play “Love Don’t Live Here Anymore” on repeat during my adolescence. and who could ever forget the timeless covers throughout pop culture of “I’m Going Down?”

here are a few images from the set, the rest will be up on my Instagram. i’ll be back tomorrow with one more post to wrap up July <3