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After the Shanachie release Letters from Birmingham managed to peak at only number 15 on Billboard's R&B Albums chart, Ruben Studdard's career could have been viewed as in decline. All four of the singer's previous albums had reached the Top Ten, and his recording budget, along with his exposure, was shrinking. However, he was swept up by Verve due to new label chairman David Foster, a longtime Studdard supporter. Adult contemporary giant Foster played a major role in the making of Unconditional Love, one most likely greater than the productions, arrangements, and keyboards for which he is credited here. (Who else would have thought to dig up his and Boz Scaggs' largely forgotten if successful collaboration from the Urban Cowboy soundtrack?) This is a pleasingly straightforward set, dominated by covers, that plays to Studdard's strength as a mature, romantic balladeer. Some of the song selections -- "I Can't Make You Love Me" and "(They Long to Be) Close to You," for instance -- are a tad obvious and plain, but there are several subtle surprises. Paul and Linda McCartney's "My Love" could have been done faithfully, but it sounds like a glistening and snappy dead ringer for something off an early-'80s Luther Vandross album. On Marvin Gaye's "If This World Were Mine," Studdard and Grammy winner Lalah Hathaway are more like Vandross and Cheryl Lynn than Gaye and Tammi Terrell, and the two sound just as natural with one another. There's another nod to the Hathaway family with a cover of "Love, Love, Love," the J.R. Bailey/Ken Williams composition popularized by Lalah's father Donny. This version has more of a lilt to it, and at no point does Studdard sound like he's bearing the weight of living up to a genius. An enjoyable, comfortable release from the singer, Unconditional Love is quite possibly his best work yet.
© Andy Kellman /TiVo
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Ruben Studdard, Arranger, Work Arranger, MainArtist - Ned Washington, ComposerLyricist - HOAGY CARMICHAEL, ComposerLyricist - JOHN JACKSON, Producer, Arranger, Work Arranger - Eric DuBose, Guitar, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 2013 The Verve Music Group, a Division of UMG Recordings, Inc.
Kenneth Gamble, ComposerLyricist - Ruben Studdard, MainArtist - LEON HUFF, ComposerLyricist - DEMONTE POSEY, Producer, Arranger, Keyboards, Recording Engineer, Drum Programming, Work Arranger, AssociatedPerformer, StudioPersonnel - Eric Benét, Producer - Donald Hayes, Horn, AssociatedPerformer - Najee, Flute, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 2013 The Verve Music Group, a Division of UMG Recordings, Inc.
William Scaggs, ComposerLyricist - Ruben Studdard, MainArtist - DAVID FOSTER, ComposerLyricist - DEMONTE POSEY, Producer, Arranger, Keyboards, Recording Engineer, Drum Programming, Work Arranger, AssociatedPerformer, StudioPersonnel - Eric Benét, Producer, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 2013 The Verve Music Group, a Division of UMG Recordings, Inc.
Allen Shamblin, ComposerLyricist - Ruben Studdard, MainArtist - DAVID FOSTER, Producer, Arranger, Keyboards, Work Arranger, AssociatedPerformer - Jochem Van Der Saag, Producer, Synthesizer Programming, AssociatedPerformer - Michael Barry Reid, ComposerLyricist
℗ 2013 The Verve Music Group, a Division of UMG Recordings, Inc.
Alan Lindgren, ComposerLyricist - Ruben Studdard, MainArtist - DAVID FOSTER, Producer, Arranger, Keyboards, Work Arranger, AssociatedPerformer - Neil Diamond, ComposerLyricist - Jochem Van Der Saag, Producer, Recording Engineer, Synthesizer Programming, AssociatedPerformer, StudioPersonnel
℗ 2013 The Verve Music Group, a Division of UMG Recordings, Inc.
Ruben Studdard, MainArtist - Ken Williams, ComposerLyricist - JOHN JACKSON, Producer, Arranger, Recording Engineer, Work Arranger, StudioPersonnel - David Smith, Drums, AssociatedPerformer - James Bailey, ComposerLyricist - Eric DuBose, Guitar, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 2013 The Verve Music Group, a Division of UMG Recordings, Inc.
Ruben Studdard, MainArtist - Burt Bacharach, ComposerLyricist - Hal David, ComposerLyricist - DAVID FOSTER, String Arranger, Piano, AssociatedPerformer - Reggie Young, Bass Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Jochem Van Der Saag, Drum Programming, AssociatedPerformer - Stevie Wonder, Harmonica, AssociatedPerformer - Gorden Campbell, Drums, AssociatedPerformer - Onree Gill, Producer, String Arranger, Keyboards, AssociatedPerformer - Ginny Luke, Violin, AssociatedPerformer - Aisha Morris Gill, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 2013 The Verve Music Group, a Division of UMG Recordings, Inc.
Lalah Hathaway, FeaturedArtist - Ruben Studdard, Arranger, Work Arranger, MainArtist - Marvin Gaye, ComposerLyricist - JOHN JACKSON, Producer, Arranger, Recording Engineer, Work Arranger, StudioPersonnel
℗ 2013 The Verve Music Group, a Division of UMG Recordings, Inc.
Ruben Studdard, MainArtist - Paul Mccartney, ComposerLyricist - JOHN JACKSON, Producer, Arranger, Recording Engineer, Work Arranger, StudioPersonnel - Linda Mccartney, ComposerLyricist - David Smith, Drums, AssociatedPerformer - Eric DuBose, Guitar, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 2013 The Verve Music Group, a Division of UMG Recordings, Inc.
Warryn Campbell, Producer, Programming, AssociatedPerformer - Tobias Gad, ComposerLyricist - Ruben Studdard, MainArtist - Lola Delon, ComposerLyricist
℗ 2013 The Verve Music Group, a Division of UMG Recordings, Inc.
Charlie Midnight, ComposerLyricist - Bernie Herms, Producer, ComposerLyricist - Ruben Studdard, MainArtist, ComposerLyricist - Jay Landers, ComposerLyricist - DAVID FOSTER, ComposerLyricist - Jochem Van Der Saag, Producer
℗ 2013 The Verve Music Group, a Division of UMG Recordings, Inc.
Album review
After the Shanachie release Letters from Birmingham managed to peak at only number 15 on Billboard's R&B Albums chart, Ruben Studdard's career could have been viewed as in decline. All four of the singer's previous albums had reached the Top Ten, and his recording budget, along with his exposure, was shrinking. However, he was swept up by Verve due to new label chairman David Foster, a longtime Studdard supporter. Adult contemporary giant Foster played a major role in the making of Unconditional Love, one most likely greater than the productions, arrangements, and keyboards for which he is credited here. (Who else would have thought to dig up his and Boz Scaggs' largely forgotten if successful collaboration from the Urban Cowboy soundtrack?) This is a pleasingly straightforward set, dominated by covers, that plays to Studdard's strength as a mature, romantic balladeer. Some of the song selections -- "I Can't Make You Love Me" and "(They Long to Be) Close to You," for instance -- are a tad obvious and plain, but there are several subtle surprises. Paul and Linda McCartney's "My Love" could have been done faithfully, but it sounds like a glistening and snappy dead ringer for something off an early-'80s Luther Vandross album. On Marvin Gaye's "If This World Were Mine," Studdard and Grammy winner Lalah Hathaway are more like Vandross and Cheryl Lynn than Gaye and Tammi Terrell, and the two sound just as natural with one another. There's another nod to the Hathaway family with a cover of "Love, Love, Love," the J.R. Bailey/Ken Williams composition popularized by Lalah's father Donny. This version has more of a lilt to it, and at no point does Studdard sound like he's bearing the weight of living up to a genius. An enjoyable, comfortable release from the singer, Unconditional Love is quite possibly his best work yet.
© Andy Kellman /TiVo
About the album
- 1 disc(s) - 11 track(s)
- Total length: 00:46:12
- Main artists: Ruben Studdard
- Composer: Various Composers
- Label: Verve Pop
- Genre: Soul/Funk/R&B R&B
© 2014 The Verve Music Group, a Division of UMG Recordings, Inc. ℗ 2014 The Verve Music Group, a Division of UMG Recordings, Inc.
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