Van McCoy

Dropping his penchant for tossing in classic covers, Van McCoy returned to the spotlight after a year-long break with the 100 percent McCoy-penned My Favourite Fantasy in 1978. Unfortunately, no one was listening, and with only the title track -- a snappy, if stale, dance song -- limping onto the charts, it was apparent that McCoy was, in the eyes of most, only considered purveyor of "The Hustle" and ergo, a flavor of the month. That's not to say that My Favourite Fantasy doesn't have its moments -- it does. The opening "That's the Story of My Life" remains an excellent, smooth slab of urban soul. "Two Points," meanwhile, cruises through an eclectic disco groove. And of course, no album would be complete without a handful of ballads -- both "Right Now" and "I Choose Love As My Weapon" fill that gap nicely. A pleasant, if unremarkable, album, My Favourite Fantasy lays bare another set of McCoy's musical ramblings without breaking any new ground. Although there are no real stumbles across the set, it's easy to see in retrospect why the album barely blipped the radar. Smooth and pleasant, McCoy's later material had nothing to do with the disco revolution that was all but impenetrable at the end of the decade. Ousted from that club his material foundered, and the sweet soul that didn't really titillate the mainstream wouldn't usurp his title as one of the kings of disco. ~ Amy Hanson, All Music Guide