Among the originators of the Philly soul sound of the late '60s and pre-disco '70s, the Delfonics fashioned hit after hit with the same basic formula of ultra-romantic crooning, three-part harmonies, and a supremely mellow accompaniment that came with a pillow of lush string orchestrations. The 20 Delfonics hits collected on La-La Means I Love You--including their best-known songs, "La-La Means I Love You" and "Didn't I (Blow Your Mind This Time)"--amount to R&B easy-listening, often soothing to the degree they become aural wallpaper. At times, though, this stuff can transcend its own schmaltz. --Roni Sarig
