Jean Carn's self-titled debut for Gamble & Huff's Philadelphia International Records could be subtitled "Philly soul at its best." Released during the era of emerging sophisticated soul-formatted FM radio stations,
Jean Carn provided perfectly suited singles, the wise R&B hit "Free Love," and format-friendly, radio-aired LP tracks: the airy ballads "No Laughing Matter," "I'm in Love Again," and the jazzy "You Are All I Need." "Free Love," "Time Waits for No One," "You Got a Problem," and the second single "If You Wanna Go Back" were all long-running hits on Billboard's Hot Disco charts. This album was issued as a Sony Music Japan CD reissue and also paired with
Happy to Be With You on a late '90s two-album single CD from the U.K. label VCI/Westside.Some of the LPs tracks can be found on the 1999 Capitol CD, Closer Than Close: The Best of Jean Carn and on the 1998 Recall CD, The Best of Jean Carn & the Jones Girls. ~ Ed Hogan