All True Man

Alexander O'Neal

Product Details

• Audio CD (February 2, 1991)
• Original Release Date: January 24, 1991
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Sony
• ASIN: B000008J2B
• Also Available in: Audio Cassette  |  Vinyl
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #120,885 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars All True Album, March 18, 2004

By	V. Ryan (London Uk) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

People only think of Alexander O'Neal for his first two albums, the self titled debut & the big selling "Hearsay".
Alex came back in 1991 with "All True Man" - his last great album in my opinion.
The album went to number one in its first week in the uk, but failed to have the staying power that his previous 2 did.
The trouble with this album was the timing. In a time where rap & new jack swing were coming to the forefront of black music "All True Man" failed to go with that.

But this album is truly magnificant. "Time Is Running Out" is a storming track which is fresh & funky. "The Yoke" is equally funky, and although a lengthy track, you won't be able to stop yourself dancing to the beat.
"Everytime I get up" is some of the best work Alex has done in his long career. It a song which if released I'm sure would have been a big his. A truly great song.
The album does have its dour moments and these are tracks 4 & 5 - "Somebody changed your mind" & "Midnight run"
But from then on the rest of the set is just breathtaking.
"Used" is produced by Jellybean Johnson whom alex worked with on his biggest hit "Criticize". Heavy guitar riff's with alex's sweet soulful voice just equal perfection.
"Sentimental" is a tad slushy - but its the voice that alex posesses that really chills the soul.
"What Is this Thing Called love" is a throwback to great tracks from Hearsay, such as "What Can I say". Should have been a bigger hit.
The title track "All True Man" still remains a big inclusion in Mr O'Neal's live show. I've been to see him about 7 or 8 times, and this one is always included. Being only 19, Alex & has music I have always loved - this album is no exception.
"Hang On" & "The Morning After" are two sweet soul track. You can feel the sex in "The Morning After" - its appeal is wide.
"Shame" is the final track and maybe the best on here. An acoustic feel with some touching lyrics mixed with Alex's gritty soul voice.

I urge you to buy the most underrated soul album of any time - ever.

Superb

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars "Shame" this album is not better known....., February 28, 2005

By	Ziontrain (London) - See all my reviews

I actually like this album better than (the better known) "Hearsay". Weirdly enough the faster songs at the beginning are just filler and in contrast, the slow songs at the end are absolutely killer, priceless material.

In particular the run from track 7 ('All True Man") to track 12 at the end "Shame") is damn near ecstasy. The oncomparable production team of Jimmy Jam/Terry Lewis and Alex push each other to supreme heights. Jam/Lewis provide the musical contexts and Alex finds peerless heights of subtlety in his singing. My God: so many "hairs rising on the back of the your moments" here!

If you think soul singing is about belting and yelling, this portion of the album will come as a earning experience. It is a nothing short of a singing masterclass, wringing maximum impact while maintaining supreme control. The wannabe R&B singers and Christina Aguileras of the world should be given this album as mandatory homework to study and learn from!

At the end, Jimmy Jam provides some absolutely sick bass for an increasingly slow that he and Alex use to close out the album incredibly.

Superb handwork on this album. Simply superb. When it ends you feel like you were at a concert and you don't want to go home! Luckily modern technology gives us "repeat" and "A-B repeat", so instead of clapping for an encore, you can just make the CD keep crooning to you over and over:
"do it again, its a shame on me
shame, shame,
shame, shame,
shame, shame, shame, shhhaaaaame,
do it again, its a shame on me.......

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wrongfully Overlooked !, September 22, 2004

By	Armando M. Mesa (Chandler, AZ) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

Vastly underrated here in the US but well worth it's weight in gold ! I've owned this copy on all 3 formats (vinyl,cassette,cd)...As a vinyl junkie, the tracks sound more natural and warm (not as digitized as on cd---another debate for another time). If anything, All True Man served as the apex or zenith for his other 2 previous albums...Listening to all 3 of them; they are like the O'Neal, Jam & Lewis production trilogy!Classic clean R&B funk and soul from 91...Maybe it is a late entry and did not succumb to the popular sounds of jack swing and other sub-genres of the early 90's. I would rather have this R&B type of music than anything else that did NOT age well ! Out of the first three O'Neal projects this is his polished one---minus the blockbuster hits contained on Hearsay...still good stuff. VERY good stuff !