Description
Average White Band – Warmer Communications – 180 Gram Clear Vinyl Record
180g Heavyweight Clear Vinyl
Average White Band – Warmer Communications, released in March 1978, is a polished, groove-rich record that finds the Scottish funk ensemble exploring a smoother, more soulful direction while still holding tight to their funk roots. Coming off a string of successful mid-’70s releases (AWB, Cut the Cake, Soul Searching), this album showcases the band’s growing maturity as both players and songwriters—leaning more into R&B sophistication and less on raw funk punch, all while still delivering the tight musicianship they’re known for.
The title Warmer Communications is a clever play on both emotional intimacy and their then-new label, Atlantic Records (often called “the house that R&B built”). In many ways, this album represents a shift toward a more polished, radio-friendly sound, embracing the sleek production trends of the late ’70s without losing the band’s signature syncopated rhythms and airtight grooves.
One of the standout tracks is “Your Love Is a Miracle,” a smooth, horn-driven gem that combines a soulful lead vocal from Alan Gorrie with lush arrangements and a subtle disco undercurrent. The song became a hit, reaching the U.S. R&B Top 40, and it exemplifies the album’s warmer, more refined aesthetic. “The Price of a Dream” and “Daddy’s All Gone” (a soulful ballad originally by James Taylor) offer moments of introspection and emotional depth, showing the band’s sensitivity and range beyond the dancefloor.
Instrumentally, AWB is as tight as ever. Hamish Stuart’s guitar work is clean and funky, the horn section (Roger Ball and Malcolm Duncan) delivers sharp, expressive lines, and the rhythm section lays down groove after groove with seemingly effortless precision. There’s also a touch of Philadelphia soul influence in the string arrangements and smoother tempos, placing Warmer Communications stylistically closer to contemporaries like Earth, Wind & Fire or The Doobie Brothers during their more R&B-influenced phases.
While Warmer Communications might not have the same immediate punch as their earlier breakout records (Pick Up the Pieces, for example, is absent here), it remains a refined, underappreciated effort—a bridge between the gritty funk of their early years and the slicker soul stylings of the late ’70s. It’s not quite a concept album, but it does have a thematic cohesion, centered around love, communication, vulnerability, and personal growth.
The album reflects a band navigating evolving musical trends without abandoning their core identity. It might not have generated massive hits, but it stands as a solid, soulful listen, offering something warmer and more emotionally resonant than many of their funk contemporaries at the time.
Brand new, never played and still sealed in the factory plastic
Track Listing
Your Love Is A Miracle
Same Feeling, Different Song
Daddy’s All Gone
Big City Lights
She’s A Dream
Warmer Communications
The Price Of The Dream
Sweet & Sour
One Look Over My Shoulder (is This Really Goodbye?)
