by Ed Hogan Those who know the Blackbyrds best by their 1977 gold LP Action may feel discombobulated by the group's 1980 album, Better Days. Part of the reason may come from the ever-changing nature of pop music. In just a few short years, radio play lists had become tighter and less eclectic. No longer under the mentorship of jazz trumpeter/producer Donald Byrd, and wrapped in the dazzling string/horn arrangements of Action arranger Wade Marcus, the Blackbyrds' sound was less fluid and the band's considerable chops (musical skills) were held in check. Going a radio-friendly route under the aegis of producer George Duke, the soft, thumpin' "What We Have Is Right" made it to number 38 R&B (Billboard) and the mid-tempo groovin' stepper "Love Don't Strike Twice" brushed the lower half of the chart. Other highlights are the horn-laced stompin title track and "Do It Girl" (which sounds something like a Con Funk Shun ballad). Better Days was teamed with Action on a 1994 single CD from U.K. label Ace Records.