Customer Reviews

At Last

5 star:		(25)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

After a 3 year wait, Gladys Knight has released a new album of original material. This is a cd full of love songs. Songs of love between a couple, love amongst family, and the love of God. The songs range from slow ballads to mid-tempo jewels. Gladys Knight's voice has withstood the test of time. She still has that effervescent quality, that sparkle in her throat. She can still effortlessly belt out lyrics from her heart. Throughout the first half of the cd, Gladys relies mainly on her lower register, but by about the ninth song Gladys takes it up a notch. She floors you with emotion. Song 4, "Grandma's Hands", is really the pearl of this cd. It delineates the love of a tender grandmother. Also, her duet with Jamie Foxx gives and adds depth to their acting together on the "Jamie Foxx Show." Gladys' tribute to her late mother and son entitled "Something Blue", is painfully touching. Gladys is more beautiful than ever at 57. She still has all that it takes to be one of my very favorite singers. She has returned "At Last."

I purchased Gladys' last CD "Just for You" back in1994 when it was released and every track was breathtaking!!!! I havewaited so long for her new album and with many delays in release, itis finally here!! "At Last" is an absolutely provocative,gorgeous, emotional and one of her best recordings as a solo artist,if not her best!!!!!!!! She is an extremely classy lady and throughmany ups and downs in her life has never shown so brightly!! Everysong is a highlight but if I had to pick the top 4 tracks...they wouldgo as follows:

1. Just Take Me- A gorgeous ballad about love andrelationships!! It brought me to tears the 1st time and I listen tothis track 3-4 times every day since buying the album! 2. I Said YouLied- Another mid tempo song about relationships. Very pretty songwith a powerful message! 3. Something Blue- A powerful song aboutlosing someone close to you and finding the strength to go on. Shededicated it to her song. Emotional song! 4. Do You Really Want ToKnow- Excellent song and also the debut song off the album! Amidtempo groovy kind of track!

This Cd is amazing! For anyone whowants to sit back and listen to a great R&B album that takes youto many levels, BUY THIS CD!! The liner notes also say who each songis dedicated to!

Glady's I am so glad you are back "AtLast"!!!!

Even after all these years in the music business, Gladys Knight still has a beautiful, strong voice. They need a radio station for old diva's and old singers, because this CD will not be able to make it in the "shake it fast, watch yourself", market called urban radio.

OK, being the Gladys Knight fanatic that I am, I expected to either love it immediately, or to at least have it grow on me. What I didn't expect was for both to happen! While I loved the strong material and her impeccable vocals from the first listening, AT LAST's fine nuances make me fall in love with it over and over again - and every time I play it (and I mean several times a day), I discover something new and unique about it. The most youthful track on the CD must be "Greatest Love of All" - not the George Benson song, but a spiritual dance tune that will give Mary Mary a run for their money! In a similar vein comes "If I Were Your Woman II", a familiar title on a new song about the way men behave around the woman when they're not married to her... "I Said You Lied" is a strong, confident ballad that sees a familiar, angry Gladys borrow a line from "Neither one of us..." Take that, Les Brown! The confidence of a woman who has fought many battles and lived to tell the tale also shines through in the duet with youngster Jamie Foxx, "I Wanna Be Loved", the somewhat 1990-ish Babyface ballad "Love Hurts", the modern country music cover "Rose Bouquet", "Do You Really Wanna Know..." and "Better Love Next Time." "Something Blue" is a haunting, dark track that clearly carries the weight of the losses Gladys had to endure over the past 3 years. "Just Take Me", produced and arranged by veterans Tom Dowd and Arif Mardin is a song about love on every level: spiritual, emotional and phsyical - and as I have found out myself, it can really put people in the mood for love! The most surprising track for me vocally was Gladys' cover of the country classic "Please Help Me I'm Falling (In Love With You), as it takes Gladys into Holly Cole territory! She does things with her voice here I've never heard her do! Very, very moving indeed. "Grandma's Hands" was added to the track listing after the CD's release date was moved to 2001, and the album is the stronger for it. Those kids who don't know the Bill Withers original might think Gladys is borrowing from Blackstreet here, when those boys just sampled old Bill...

The only thing that bothers me about this CD is that it has not been released in Europe here, nor has there been a commercially available single. Gladys says she has sorted out her problems with MCA, I think they're still not promoting her properly!

"At Last" is definitely one of Gladys Knight's best recordings ever. The CD is both comtemporary and timeless, full of songs that bring out the best in Knight's soulful, heartfelt voice. Although it's hard to pick favorite songs on this CD, Knight reaches her highest heights in the ballads about love gone wrong. "I Say You Lied" is destined to be a classic. "Something Blue" brings chills to the spine, sung as only Knight can sing it. "Love Hurts" is a sad, beautiful tune. My only regret with this CD is that Knight chose to sing a duet with Jamie Foxx, who simply cannot sing. But skip quickly over that song and you'll have an incredible listening experience.

Upon my first listen, I was only mildy impressed mostly because it was Gladys and rarely does she disappoint. Then I happened to catch her in Las Vegas (her show has been ranked the #1 show by the way!...!) and she did a few cuts from the album. Her live performance is quite simply phenomenal. Then I found myself going back to this CD over and over again. While there are surely modern touches, Gladys is a legend and no amount of production can hide this fact. Her vocals are serene, touching,vibrant, forceful, piercing, and oh yes, I'm running out of adjectives. This is a classy, talented lady and if you appreciate that in an artist as opposed to flagrant and many times inappropriate expressions of the various aspects of love, sadly prevalent in much of today's music, you will cherish this product. Hats off, Gladys........truly a winner!!!... Notable cuts are "Do You Really Wanna Know What Makes Me Fall in Love", "Rose Bouquet", a wonderful reading of Grandma's Hands because I appreciate the tribute to grandmothers, the update of "If I Were Your Woman" and the duet with Jamie Foxx. Enrich your collection by adding a worthwhile artist on a worthwhile project!!!...

I have been a Gladys Knight fan for four decades. I was thrilled when this CD was released. Gladys Knight's voice has only improved with age, like a fine wine. Her soulful interpretation of lyric and the resonance of her instrument have deepened in ways reflecting wisdom and heartfelt emotion that often only comes from maturity and life experience. Her rendition of the often recorded, "Grandma's Hands" became my instant favorite. In my opinion, the "weakest link" of this CD is the duet with Jamie Fox. Even many of our most accomplished vocalists would sound insufficient to the task when paired with the poise, passion and perfection of Gladys Knight's poignant presentation. My only other complaint is that this CD is overproduced in a way that too often distracts from the power and beauty of Gladys Knight's artistry. Nonetheless, Gladys Knight still shines through in a setting that would overwhelm less accomplished performers. I hope that we continue to hear more from this unique and amazing vocalist in simpler settings that will allow her stellar abilities to soar on their own.

Allow me to share the story of serendipitous discovery of "At Last." On a business flight at night from Minneapolis to San Francisco, the CD was being reviewed on the in-flight headphones (!) Just as the plane was coming approaching SFO,...Track 7,..."The Greatest Love of All" was playing. I cranked it up,...looked out the window at the glorious lights of The City below me,...started mouthing the hook's catchy, adoring words from the gorgeous harmony of the backup vocalists,...and then there was--Gladys. Her scintillating, rapturous wailing shepherded me in as my plane touched ground. My eyes grew misty and a gulp was in my throat. Later, I read her personal liner notes on this song and now it sweetly means even more to me.

If you love classic R&B, but seek something "new," but just as outstanding; if you desire an abundance of velvety, lavish and sparklingly smooth vocals of a God-Given talent;..it's Gladys and it's her latest, "At Last." Any Gladys [Fan] is gonna rave on this CD--but if you're like me and pitifully/shamefully don't know Gladys as "Pipless" or apart from her 70s powerhouse classics, you need a vote of confidence on some purchases--right? Well here it is. Grab this one. You'll be extremely pleased. This CD will hopelessly grow and grow and GROW on you... It's a most wise addition to your CD collection.

Thanks, Gladys. What a lovely gift you give us...

When dealing with a singer like Gladys Knight one can't help but to be on the look-out for the next soul epic ("End Of The Road Medley" from 1994 being the most recent example). You won't find anything like that on this release, but it is arguably her most satisfying solo effort. "At Last" is filled with ballads and mid-tempo numbers that reflect on the regret, pain, doubt and confusion that seem to go hand in hand with love. Fans who follow Knight's personal life will understand the emphasis on loss this time around. There are nods to contemporary R&B/hip hop that work (the slinky "If I Were Your Woman II") and one that doesn't ("Do You Really Want To Know"--is it my imagination or has Gladys' vocal been tampered with on this number in an attempt to make her sound more youthful? We DON'T need that.) Though she doesn't sound as refreshed as she did on the "Many Different Roads" project, her weighty, ripened tones and signature pulsing vibrato remain intact. Jamie Foxx, sounding for all the world like one of Boyz II Men, duets with Gladys on the grand, declarative "I Wanna Be Loved." Foxx provides all the riffing, while Gladys provides the backbone for this Shep Crawford production. Tom Dowd's contribution "Just Take Me", with its breathless, rushing chorus, is a simple yet lovely portrait of yearning that I always listen to at least twice in a row. Two remakes also stand out: Bill Withers' "Grandma's Hands" is funked-up and expanded, but not overblown in producer Jamey Jaz's hands and the country song "Please Help Me I'm Falling" is given a robust, straightforward treatment. Longtime fans know Gladys loves a good country song. Though the production doesn't always compliment Knight ("Something Blue"), overall the CD has many subtle charms. The tune "Love Hurts" written by Babyface is indicative of the general mood--swaying, mournful, ultimately triumphant.

Hats off to Gladys! The CD, At Last, by Gladys is truly awesome. I have thoroughly enjoyed all 13 tracks. It's all about love. Of course, of the 13 tracks, Track 3 {I Said You Lied}, Track 5 {Love Hurts}, Track 6 {I Wanna Be Loved, featuring Jamie Foxx}, Track 9 {Please Help Me I'm Falling [In Love With You]} are my favorites. When I first heard Track 6 featuring Jamie Foxx, I immediately had to replay it. I am truly in awe with the lyrics, music from all the tracks on the CD. All 13 tracks are truly awesome. Gladys really did it this time. The purchase of this CD was truly worth the money. It's truly worth purchasing and sharing with others. I will be playing this CD for days to come. After purchasing my copy, I have gone and purchased another copy to share with the love in my life. I will be telling others about this {higly recommended}. Music this good is not meant to be kept to oneself. I love music and this CD takes my music collection to a higher level of listening.