"Fresh Out the Oven", the first breath from the Love? project, had Lopez confident and aware. The cut gripped the listener in its clasp of late night disco whispered come-on's. A perfectly placed feature from Mr. Armando Christian Perez, a.k.a Pitbull, gave it an even ruder feel. Then, with what promised to be the return of Jennifer Lopez as Lola in 2009, became one of the two years that saw the Love? album setback repeatedly.
Epic Records, unsure of how to promote the track and its subliminal video, wrote off "Fresh..." as a mere "buzz track." They backtracked with a more climate friendly taster in "Louboutins" in 2010. That song, to the knowing, was a clone to the superior fashionista feminism manifesto "Miles in These Shoes" from Brave (2007). When that song, despite some of Lopez's strongest live performances to date, failed to catch on Epic dropped Lopez into the lap of Island/Def Jam Records. There, Lopez began to wrap up an album that still lacked an identity outside of restoring her sales status. In the meantime Lopez found time to take a seat on the American Idol judge panel with Randy Jackson and Aerosmith fronter Steven Tyler.
Love?, Jennifer Lopez's seventh record, attempts to solve the commercial conundrum Lopez courted as early as 2005 with the "only platinum" peak of Rebirth. The real elephant in the room, dismissing its low selling point, was that the previous album Brave was fantastic. Brave's only challengers were Como Ama Una Mujer (2007) and This is Me...Then (2002). All three albums presented that Jennifer Lopez had more bite than her harshest critics ever led the public to believe.
Does Love? tightrope between legacy longevity or "for today" fortunes? The answer is a resounding no to the former and yes to the latter. There is no mistaking that Lopez was never a non-commercial entity, but she did gracefully pick up artistic mileage with each record recorded. Love? barely approaching the transitional highs of Rebirth ties J.Lo (2000) as her worst offering.
Production duties on this fiasco mainly incriminate RedOne, Lady Gaga, Terius "The-Dream" Nash, Christopher "Tricky" Stewart, Danja, and several other mainstream mobsters who warp Lopez's sound into faceless Top 40 oblivion. Previously, La Lopez exerted heavier themes, so "Starting Over" and "Until It Beats No More" shouldn't have been an issue. They fail on Love? as musically they don't provide adequate staging for her vocal growth to make the songs convincing."On the Floor", the current chart hit, almost raises pulses with a sultry riff of Kaoma's "Lambada" merging with Lopez's voice to echo the sweet rush that made "Waiting For Tonight" a transcendent modern classic. The bulky dance beat hits harder than needed, resulting in "On the Floor's" melodic appeal being bludgeoned by RedOne's production. Mentioning RedOne, his and Lady Gaga's "Invading My Mind" and "Hypnotico" evidence from their overwrought titles, to their listless electro-pop that Gaga's sound isn't one size fits all. "I'm Into You" is sweet enough, though the cameo assist from Lil' Wayne is like sliding a platinum grill front over an already beautiful smile.
Love? is not completely lost, three songs make the record worth the trek through unworthy fare. "Good Hit" is an update on Lopez's Boricua street power, dressing it up in cybertronic camp cool that bring to mind Robyn's "Fembot" from last year's Body Talk (2010). The execution of the playful fussiness that skips along on "Good Hit" is Lopez through and through.
"(What Is) Love?", one of the few tracks that survived the initial sessions of Love?, is where Lopez flourishes. A moving song, it looks to introspection and cute critique. Regardless of any criticism hurled at Jennifer Lopez, she always had spunk in major supply. Whether she was the round the way girl or the diva, Lopez built on her approach-ability by becoming a better singer and songwriter. Love? is the necessary evil of returning commercial clout to La Lopez, but it saps her of all her powers, leaving her unrecognizable. That may work for Britney Spears and her cult in 2011, but Jennifer Lopez's faithful require more stimulation. Or at the very least a little Lola.
"Good Hit" & "Take Care" Virals Behind the Scenes
"Everyone's got to make a living..." went the sampled tagline on her '02 hit "Jenny From the Block." Lopez does have a "brand" to maintain, but that brand always had a heart at its center. Hopefully with the sales coup of Love? it will allow Lopez to return back to being the pop maven she really is. Two and a half stars out of five.-QH
[Editor's Note: Love? in all music retailers now. For current news on Jennifer Lopez, visit her official site.-QH)
Disregarding the obvious holes in Diana Ross' '70's output, Ross' tenure at Motown is stuff of legend. Everyone knows of her rise as a Supreme during the '60's, but it was her work the following decade that intertwined dramatic, emotional soul-pop threads to create a sonic tapestry familiar to so many. The start of the '80's had begun with a bang, the monopolizing victory of diana (1980) proved she had done everything she could at Motown. Now, Ross was ready to fly and explore, proving once and for all that she was more than a thrall, romantic or otherwise, to Berry Gordy.
Polygram, Casablanca, and Geffen all began to cajole Ross to join their ranks, but RCA Records snared Ross with a $20 million price tag and promises of creative fulfillment. She signed to RCA Records in 1981. The label at various times during her stint there housed Hall & Oates, the Eurythmics, and the Pointer Sisters. Another jewel to the RCA crown, she remained there until 1987. For some, the RCA period was seen as one of excess, recognized for indulging in Ross' garish pop fantasies.
That, of course, is only a casual assessment. There are portions of Ross' RCA work that aren't as peerless as her Motown material, again that period had its own flaws which revisionists tend to "forget." The freedom exercised at RCA was without equal, mirroring the peaks and valleys of the most transitional decade in black music. Where others feared to tread, Ross walked.
Ross gave an eloquent statement about her time at RCA Records in her 1993 memoir, Secrets of a Sparrow:
I was given the opportunity to produce my own records, from finding the musicians, to setting up studio time, mixing, mastering, layering the music onto the tracks, finding the engineers, overseeing the photographs, creating the title, choosing the costumes, the names, the liner notes, every single ingredient. I also inspected the label copying, the layouts for the (album) jacket, selected the release dates, and most important sat through hours and hours of producing. It was a magnificent experience.
On the 30th anniversary of Diana Ross taking a seminal role in her career that has spanned five (and counting) decades, a glance back at the albums that defined a time of change is definitely in order.
Why Do Fools Fall in Love Released: 10/4/81 Produced By: Diana Ross Chart Placements: U.S. Pop #15, U.S. R&B #4, U.K. # 20 Singles: "Why Do Fools Fall in Love," "Mirror, Mirror," "Work That Body," "It's Never Too Late" Synopsis: The first Diana Ross serving to emerge off of the RCA label was a solid seller, it continued her upward trend that kicked off in 1979. The title track was a cute cover of the Frankie Lymon & the Teenagers doo-wop cut of the same name. The remainder of Why Do Fools Fall in Love concerned itself with established comforts and a few surprises. The familiar sonic forms sported whipped disco-lite delights in "It's Never Too Late" or pretty nonsense like "Sweet Nothings." The camp fest "Work That Body" and the rock-funk bump of "Mirror, Mirror," a dual pop and R&B format crossover smash, became fan favorites. Why Do Fools Fall in Love ended up Ross' bestseller from RCA, though it wasn't her strongest in what she would do later.
"Mirror, Mirror" music video
Silk Electric Released: 9/10/82 Produced By: Diana Ross Chart Placements: U.S. Pop #27, U.S. R&B #5, U.K. #33 Singles: "Muscles," "So Close," "Who" Synopsis: Ross' RCA freedom came to fruition, with some miscalculation, on Silk Electric. Ross sat again in the driver's seat and produced a clean, spontaneous set of black pop. The record is remembered for the Michael Jackson penned "Muscles."
"Who" bewitched and a fascinating conceptual breakthrough was heard in "Turn Me Over." A clear indication of the time, an eerie, lush call directed the listener to turn the record over before the first side concluded. The energy on Silk Electric fell squarely on the uptempos leaving the slow jams to become soggy in MOR milk. Silk Electric was Ross' luminous step forward but showed she still had improvements to make.
"Muscles" music video
Ross Released: 6/9/83 Produced By: Gary Katz, Ray Parker Jr., Diana Ross Chart Placements: U.S. Pop #32, U.S. R&B #14, U.K. #44 Singles: "Pieces of Ice," "Up Front," "Let's Go Up" Synopsis: Ross was the RCA long player that played as a coherent album. Diana Ross decided to bring in producers Gary Katz and Ray Parker Jr. Both men were accomplished in fields of jazz, pop, and R&B. Ross piloted the funk rave-up "Girls." Split into two sides, Katz handled the first half, while Parker took the second, the previously mentioned "Girls" closed side two. Katz and Parker sewed a seamless pattern of classic Diana Ross and the future ambitions heard on Silk Electric. The giddiness of "You Do It" sat comfortably next to the tense "Love or Loneliness". Ross revved "Up Front" with heat and took on an affectionate hue on "That's How You Start Over."
"Pieces of Ice" was the enigmatic linchpin of Ross. Its suspenseful opening led to sharp, shooting synths that pounded while Ross rode the cryptic lyrical analogy of sexual attraction with skill. This song, along with several others, were highlighted in her Central Park concert in New York City on July 21, 1983. Though not a major seller, this record was Diana Ross at her best from the RCA age.
"Pieces of Ice" music video
Swept Away Released: 8/2/84 Produced By: Raymond Arcusa, Arthur Baker, James Anthony Carmichael, Bernard Edwards, Daryl Hall, Richard Perry, Lionel Richie, Diana Ross Chart Placements: U.S. Pop #26, U.S. R&B #7, U.K. #40 Singles: "All of You," "Swept Away," "Touch By Touch," "Missing You," "Telephone" Synopsis: The salve to the sales slump of Ross, Swept Away was a multi-helmed recording that included ingredients from several producers, including Ross herself. It tied with Silk Electric's pop and fragmented pacing. "Missing You," Ross' last Top 10 pop hit, sincerely connected to the audience like her best ballads often did. Daryl Hall (of Hall & Oates), a label mate, was one of the hands in Swept Away's pot. He and John Oates were at the height of their powers with Big Bam Boom, also out the same year as Swept Away. Lending his pen, voice, and ear for sharp dance-pop he steered the sound of the title track. The tropical twitch in "Touch By Touch" and the spidery "No One Makes Me Crazy (Like You Do)" came on with alluring pressure.
"Telephone," another of Ross' many R&B hits from this time, was directed by Bernard Edwards of Chic. Nile Rodgers and Edwards had been behind the diana album four short years earlier. A few other trinkets lined Swept Away, but errors existed with the schmaltz shock Julio Iglesias duet "All of You." Swept Away's function as a high-octane, state-of-the-art crossover album was executed well even if it was uneven majority of its spinning time.
"Missing You" music video
Eaten Alive Released: 8/23/85 Producers: The Bee Gees, Albhy Galuten, Michael Jackson, Karl Richardson Chart Placements: U.S. Pop #45, U.S. R&B #27, U.K. #11 Singles: "Eaten Alive," "Chain Reaction," "Experience" Synopsis: Stepping away from producing, Ross began picking others to lead her records to new sounds to expand her appeal again. By this time, Ross was only making contact with her two major markets: U.S. R&B and U.K. Pop. "Eaten Alive," co-produced by Michael Jackson, was an ambitious and busy customary U.S. R&B chart grazer. The bulk of the record was directed by The Bee Gees. The trio slicked up Eaten Alive, giving it an organized, if sanitized vibe. Excusing the exquisite "Experience," "Chain Reaction" was the star of Eaten Alive. A stomping, sweet salute to Motown gave Ross her second U.K. chart topper since "I'm Still Waiting" in 1971. The British pop act Steps scored a hit with their accomplished cover of it in 2001. The remainder of Eaten Alive found Ross in good voice, emoting here ("More and More"), seducing there ("Oh Teacher"), but Eaten Alive felt like a holding pattern for something a bit more engaging.
"Chain Reaction" music video
Red Hot Rhythm & Blues Released: 6/9/87 Produced By: Tom Dowd, Luther Vandross Chart Placements: U.S. Pop #73, U.S. R&B #39, U.K. #47 Singles: "Dirty Looks,"
"Tell Me Again," "Shockwaves," "Mr. Lee" Synopsis: This final RCA offering was meant to restore Ross' chart crown, it didn't work out that way. The album was preceded by a lavish television special of the same name that paid tribute to black music history. The late Tom Dowd, known for working with Dusty Springfield, Aretha Franklin, and Otis Redding brought maturity to Red Hot Rhythm & Blues. A loose concept record, Red Hot juggled covers of soul chestnuts and new songs. The covers included a moody sketch of the Leonard Cohen penned "Summertime," one of Ross' finest recordings, and the Detroit wink of Jackie Ross' "Selfish One."
Original work was also lovely on the Luther Vandross produced and backed "It's Hard For Me to Say." The late night snack of "Stranger in Paradise" was savory too; "Dirty Looks," her final RCA hit (#12 U.S. R&B), was slinky and posh. The British version of the album featured additional songs in "Mr. Lee" (a single there) and "Tell Mama." Though Red Hot failed to find an audience in 1987, it wasn't any less fair as a proper adult R&B record.
"Dirty Looks" music video
The RCA era closed on the quiet hush of Red Hot Rhythm & Blues. Diana Ross collected herself and spirited back to Motown Records. Taking a hand in owning a percentage of the company, the lesson of control from RCA close to the hilt, Ross steadied onward at Motown Records from 1988 through 2000. There, she experienced a second British blossoming as she achieved victories with The Force Behind the Power (1991) and Take Me Higher (1995). She still stands in 2011 undiminished as a live act globally.
Diana Ross' run during the 1980's, even with her bumps and stumbles, racked up an impressive number of awards and charts hits. Focusing on the latter, Diana Ross placed a combined total of 28 singles on the U.S. R&B and Pop charts. Of the 28, 15 were R&B scores with the highest entry of "Missing You" (#1), and the lowest entry of "Chain Reaction" (#85). Pop stood strong with 13 scores, featuring the highest entry with "Why Do Fools Fall in Love" (#7), and the lowest entry with "Chain Reaction" (#95). The United Kingdom birthed 18 chart hits in this period, their highest entry seen with "Chain Reaction" (#1), and lowest entry with "Let's Go Up" (#79).
Six records were released in the span of 1981 through 1987, all reaching the Top 50 on the three previously mentioned market charts, except Red Hot Rhythm & Blues (U.S. Pop #73). In America Why Do Fools Fall in Love achieved platinum security and gold was locked in for Silk Electric and Swept Away. Record labels have to pay to have records re-certified. It has been rumored that many of these albums sold gold and platinum units in all three areas Ross appeared in over time. Of course, this was pre-Soundscan and adjustments for current inflation would need to be made, until re-certification one cannot be sure.
Critically, division occurs for this section of Diana Ross' music. It also remains to be completely anthologized properly, though the 1997 package Greatest Hits: The RCA Years made a decent effort. Joseph F. Laredo, the essayist for the mentioned RCA best of, summed up the ethos of this time perfectly:
They (The RCA Years) were challenging, transitional years for her (Diana Ross) during which continued commercial success, as well as the occasional setback, were attended by a level of creative freedom and artistic independence she had never known.
Diana Ross's discography has been popular for reissuing, starting with the unreleased Blue in 2006. The reissues for her Motown material have been constant since. It could be that the RCA works are waiting in the wings for their second chance at remastered life, as they're out of print in the U.S.A. and only available as Japanese imports currently.
Performing "Touch By Touch" @ the American Music Awards '87
A toast then to the Diana Ross who braved the unknown and usually won out. Here's to the odd, beautiful, and refined touch of her silky soul that became "electric" during the '80's.
[Editor's Note: Again, all of these records are available, via Amazon, or other Internet music outlets as Japanese imports. It looks as if Silk Electric is the only one of the six here to go out of print recently.-QH]
"Fresh Out the Oven", the first breath from the Love? project, had Lopez confident and aware. The cut gripped the listener in its clasp of late night disco whispered come-on's. A perfectly placed feature from Mr. Armando Christian Perez, a.k.a Pitbull, gave it an even ruder feel. Then, with what promised to be the return of Jennifer Lopez as Lola in 2009, became one of the two years that saw the Love? album setback repeatedly.
Does Love? tightrope between legacy longevity or "for today" fortunes? The answer is a resounding no to the former and yes to the latter. There is no mistaking that Lopez was never a non-commercial entity, but she did gracefully pick up artistic mileage with each record recorded. Love? barely approaching the transitional highs of Rebirth ties J.Lo (2000) as her worst offering.
