Type: Lyrics are included with the album, Enhanced CD-ROM
Genre: Rhythm & Blues
Review
The debut solo album from Luther Vandross featured one outstanding song after another. Vandross concocts a bouncy, vibrant flow on his up-tempo numbers and an intimate, emotional connection on his moderate grooves and his lone ballad. The title track stormed up the Billboard R&B charts to number one where it remained for two weeks. The mellow groove of "Don't You Know That," which checked in at number ten, was the second single. "Sugar and Spice" had less of an impact on the charts due to its short stay of six weeks. However, this feverish number gets all the juices flowing as does the unreleased "I've Been Working." Also featured on this set is the sentimental number "You Stopped Loving Me." The song was written by Vandross but initially released by Roberta Flack; both versions stand tall. "A House Is Not a Home" is the only ballad, and an elegant one it is, written by Burt Bacharach and Hal David and originally sung by Dionne Warwick nearly 20 years prior. Vandross orchestrates a contemporary masterpiece with this vintage number. Though it was never an official release by the label, it's a quiet storm jewel. In addition to his many music credits, Vandross was a featured guest vocalist with the progressive band Change. The same vocal savvy and smooth styling that the New York City native exhibited on songs like "Searching" and "Glow of Love" resurface here. This is one of the better R&B albums of the early '80s. ~ Craig Lytle, All Music Guide
Bashiri Johnson (Percussion), Tawatha Agee (Vocals (Background)), Karen Katz (Art Direction), Paul Riser (Strings), Carl Beatty (Engineer), Larkin Arnold (Producer), Nat Adderley (Keyboards), Leo Sacks (Reissue Preparation), Ed Walsh (Synthesizer), Luther Vandross (Rhythm Arrangements), Greg Calbi (Mastering), Sybil Thomas (Vocals (Background)), Sefra Herman (Production Coordination), Leon Pendarvis (String Arrangements), Nicky Kalliongis (Assistant Engineer), Fonzi Thornton (Vocals (Background)), Brian Chin (Liner Notes), Cissy Houston (Vocals (Background)), Paul Riser (Horn), Stephen Moore (Project Coordinator), Howard Fritzson (Art Direction), Marcus Miller (Bass), Nat Adderley (Arranger), Fonzi Thornton (Vocal Contractor), Luther Vandross (Vocal Arrangement), Luther Vandross (Producer), Phillip Ballou (Vocals (Background)), Luther Vandross (Original Recording Producer), Michael Brauer (Mixing), Crusher Bennett (Conga), Leon Pendarvis (Horn Arrangements), Billy King (Conga), Brenda White (Vocals (Background)), Joseph M. Palmaccio (Reissue Mastering), William Coupon (Photography), Crusher Bennett (Percussion), Michelle Cobbs (Vocals (Background)), Steven Berkowitz (A&R), Gary King (Arranger), Anthony Jackson (Bass), Nat Adderley, Jr. (Keyboards), Yvonne Lewis (Vocals (Background)), Nat Adderley, Jr. (Arranger), Luther Vandross (Vocals (Background)), Lincoln Clapp (Assistant Engineer), Nat Adderley, Jr. (Rhythm Arrangements), Jeremy Engel (Packaging Manager), George Wadenius (Guitar), Stephan Moore (Project Director), Karen Katz (Design), Don Wershba (Assistant Engineer), Andy Hoffman (Assistant Engineer), Paul Riser (String Arrangements), Hal David (Author), Steve Love (Guitar), Hutaff Lennon (Wardrobe), Gregg Mann (Assistant Engineer), Buddy Williams (Drums), Nat Adderley, Jr. (Vocals (Background)), Luther Vandross (Arranger), Darren Salmieri (A&R), William King (Conga), Leon Pendarvis (Arranger), Joseph M. Palmaccio (Mastering), Luther Vandross (Vocals), Bashiri Johnson (Conga), Norma Jean Wright (Vocals (Background)), Michael Brauer (Engineer), Nat Adderley (Vocals (Background)), Larkin Arnold (Executive Producer)
