Nytro - Nytro (1977)

Norman Whitfield had an impressive track record in the 1960s and 1970s. Whether he was working with the Temptations, Gladys Knight & the Pips, or Rose Royce, the producer and songwriter commanded a lot of respect during R&B's golden era. But even a heavyweight champ isn't guaranteed a victory every time; one act that turned out to be a commercial disappointment for Whitfield was Nytro, which made its vinyl debut with this self-titled LP in 1977. Whitfield, who produced the album for his own Whitfield label, had high hopes for the little known soul-funk outfit. But Nytro, whose main influences included the Bar-Kays and the Ohio Players, didn't go very far commercially. Nonetheless, this is a decent record, if an uneven one. The material falls into two categories: gritty funk smokers like "Trick Bag" (not to be confused with the Teena Marie song), "Where's the Party," and "What It Is," and relaxed, jazz-influenced quiet storm tracks. the Ohio Players' influence is especially strong on the latter; Nytro's quiet storm offerings (which include "Dreaming" and "Atmosphere") make it clear that the band was well aware of Players' gems like "Sweet Sticky Thing" and "Let's Love." Though Nytro sounds undeveloped on this LP, one hears a lot of potential -- which, regrettably, went unrealized. Again, Nytro is a decent debut, but the band was capable of a lot more. (allmusic.com)