The Official Needles and Grooves 1001 Album Generator Project (aka Preachin’ about the Preachers if today’s selection sucks)

Lee Newman said:
4/27/23
View attachment 173104
Anita Baker - Rapture

Not on Spotify, apple has it:


Allmusic review:
www.allmusic.com

Rapture - Anita Baker | Album | AllMusic

Rapture by Anita Baker released in 1986. Find album reviews, track lists, credits, awards and more at AllMusic.
www.allmusic.com www.allmusic.com

RIYL:
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I can smell the Pledge already!

And I recognise this song!!

The 80s called and said "Hi".

I like the bass, very punchy.

The rhythm section is tight.

Eh, what to say..? A brilliantly produced, crafted and recorded record and Anita has an incredible voice. Once or twice I listened to the intro of the track and expected Michael Jackson to start singing, and more than once I thought I was listening to Whitney Houston.

Do you like the genre or not?

2 / 5 stars.
 
I didn't get a chance to listen to yesterday's album until now so I'm playing catch up a little today but here are my thoughts so far.

Tom Waits is an artist that I feel like I have always appreciated more than liked. I was not a fan of this album at first but as it went on and I got more used to the vocal style I started to enjoy it a lot more; I'm especially liking the lyrics. Though I still kind of want to give this man a cough drop, lol.

I'll have to give today's album a listen this afternoon and see what I think.
 
Bone Machine

I don't listen to this one as often as other Waits albums, parts of it are a challenging listen for sure and it requires your full attention. That being said, the percussive nature of the more challenging tracks pull me in, Goin' Out West is a monster groove. And songs like Who Are You and Jesus Gonna Be Here keep me coming back. 5/5

Plus its the source of one of my favorite covers - Petra Haden & Bill Frisell ~ I Don't Want To Grow Up.

 
Lee Newman said:
Reading up on Baker, do we have a resident Quiet Storm expert? I'd be curious to listen to other albums. This one is evidently some steeped in the 70's sound... This is not like the R&B/Soul I know from the 70's but R&B is a varied genre that shifts as the styles shift.
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I'm not much of an expert when it comes to Quiet Storm music so you can take this with a grain of salt, but I do love most of the songs I heard on that format and I listened to the Quiet Storm on NY's WBLS radio a few times back when I could get that station's live stream in Edmonton somehow. That show was how I got into Anita in the first place too.

As far as '80s quiet storm, some of my favourites besides Anita Baker are Sade, Freddie Jackson, Luther Vandross, "Nite and Day" by Al B. Sure!, "Hangin' On A String" by Loose Ends, "Make It Last Forever" by Keith Sweat, "The Secret Garden" by Quincy Jones, "Sexual Healing" by Marvin Gaye & "Saving All My Love For You" by Whitney Houston, but if you want romantic R&B or Soul with a less AC/smooth jazz feel, then I'd say earlier soul legends like Marvin or Barry White or later neo-soul artists like D'Angelo & Maxwell would be more up your alley.
 
I love this Gene Clark record. @D Jilla gave it to me when he had me as Secret Santa. It's a perfect bit of Country Rock elevated. It was supposed to be a double album, but the record company didn't like it and refused to release it. It was considered extravagant at the time both in it's budget and studio excess. It is a unique artistic statement that is ambitious and I think pretty damn perfect. (5 stars)
 
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