One of the biggest R&B female singers of the 80s was a woman name Cherrelle. The LA-born/Detroit-bred singer was famous for her distinctive light, girlish voice and, of course, being part of the crew that was produced by Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis. The twosome was known to produce the hottest albums in the 80s and anything they touch at the time was gold. Their heavy production style of funky Minneapolis style synthesizers amd hard hitting drum machines fit the style of her voice.
Her debut album Fragile was released in 1984 and it does sound like it. The album possess a light spring time feeling that also has a bit of bite to it. It also follows that 80s formula of having fast songs on the first half and slow songs on the second half. She made her presence known with a couple of R&B hits that are played till this day. She also does a couple of tracks with other producers Michael Everitt Dunlap and Isaac Suthers from a group called Klique.
Once you listen to this album, it's easy to tell who produce which song. We'll start with the Jam & Lewis prouctions: the two hits she gained from this album are Fragile, Handle With Care and I Didn't Mean To Turn You On. The former is funky but contains a smooth swagger also. The loud drum machines give it the "uumph" it needs, while the keyboards and synths help it retain a pretty gentle soundscape. Oh and you can't forget the 80s sax. It's appropiate for the topic where Cherrelle warns a guy to be careful with her heart and her vocals demand that indeed. She sings with a sassy attitude that still has sweetness through most of it, but then goes into a breakdown and she starts doing some great belting making sure you get the message. The BIG hit, though, was the latter song. With some of the most outrageous synth hook you ever heard, a synth bass that's so funky your gym shoes would come alive and get some spray, and the outrageous effects the producers use all over the song, it forms a fast frantic R&B/dance classic you can't resist. And the music is greatly complimented by her vocals that are a mix of sexyness & blase'.
One other uptempo song is Like I Will that has sing-song Asian-style riff with a funky bass and snappy beat. It's not an ordinary song as it's 7 minutes and most of it contains Jam & Lewis improvising like crazy. It's an entertaining mess , though, and Cherrelle infects so much funny, sassy personality into this song, it's crazy to think she wasn't a bigger star. The other two songs they produced were ballads: When You Look In My Eyes was a sizable hit and one I can remember them playing when the radio stations would go into old school mode. It's a beautiful song about wondering the status of a relationship & Cherrelle puts her all into it. She conjures confusion, hurt, and sexual chemistry all into one. When you're able to put different emotions into one song, that's how you know you have a true singer. It doesn't hurt that the musical backing is gorgeous: lush, airy synths with a head-nodding soft beat. Who's It Gonna Be is a smooth ballad that's very similar to Prince's "The Beautiful Ones" right down to the drum machine. It's a bit derivative, but still a goodie. Similar to "When You Look...", it's about a troubled relationship: this time with a two-timing guy. She's able to express those emotions very easily and you believe her.
The 3 songs Michael Everitt Dunlap and Isaac Suthers are all ballads with a cohesive sound yet there are subtle differences. I Will Wait For You has a definite 80s prom sound with it's soft keys and slow tempo. It's a true blue romantic song about how she'll wait for someone and though it's typical, Cherrelle gives her all into the song. She belts it out at the right places, but never crosses the line of oversinging. Stay With Me has a bit more attitude since it's about making love. The bass gives it the sexual energy it needs and her sweet longing voice is a cherry on the top. I Need You Now is a mixed bag for me: I love the synth riff and tempo of the song, it gets my head nodding. But it just lacks that something for me. It's not Cherrelle as she does her usual great vocalizing, but the production is a bit bland. It needs more "uumph" in it.
This album proved to be perfect for Cherrelle to enter as a star on the R&B charts. It's not a perfect album by any means, but you enjoy 80s soul/R&B with a great voice that has personality and is easily identified, pick this up.
Recommended:
Yes
Great Music to Play While: Getting ready to go out
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