House and R&B are masterfully mixed in the third album by the Manchester, England trio M People from 1994, when it charted at No. 4 on the UK Albums Chart. Bizarre Fruit stayed up there for a year before this expanded version of the album (II) was released.  It was eventually certified 5x platinum in the UK for sales of 1.5 million.  The album is filled with  funky house grooves and Heather Small’s soulful vocals add just the right touch to the mix.  Highlights include: Open Your Heart, Love Rendezvous, and Sight for Sore Eyes, which reached No. 6 on the UK Singles Chart.  This version also contains the classic song Itchycoo Park, a song from 1967 by Steve Marriott and Ronnie Lane of the band Small Faces.   Preserving the original psychedelic roots of the song, they  super-imposed a dance structure along with some great gospel undertones, forming a marvelous arrangement.   The second cd provides a live and remixed version of the same lineup of songs from the original album, but without the final cut (“…and Finally”).  This album is amazingly consistent.  Each tune is perfection, whether you are hitting the dance floor or just trying to enjoy a little bit of soul, it’s a must-have.