Customer Reviews

Blue Lights in the Basement

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Roberta Flack's voice is one of the treasures of black music. She blends folk, jazz, and R&B into a lovely sound that melds sophistication and soul. In many ways, Roberta Flack has had the same predicament that Nina Simone and other R&B artists have had. She can sing jazz and has some piano ability [not as much as Simone] and crafts songs. Yet Simone and Flack went down the opposite paths. Modest chart success empowered Simone to be an utterly uncompromising artist. Major chart success leads Flack to increasingly court the adult contemporary market. Not a problem for me as it gives more people the chance to hear her voice, but I prefer earlier Flack to late Flack. I enjoy this album for the Hathaway collaboration and "Move in With Me". But you also can smell the disco in "Move in With Me" and the adult pop contemporary production that slides into even these treasures.

Roberta Flack's voice always shines and I can't give even her worst work less than 3 stars. This is above average Flack. Those seeking Roberta the artist would be wiser to start with "Roberta Flack and Donny Hathaway" and then pick up her earlier albums where her voice was more present and the tunes highlighted what makes her such a unique treasure.

3.5 stars

For my money, this is one of the best of Flack's albums. She really changes pace here, recording some really upbeat tunes such as "Why Don't You Move In With Me" and "Fine, Fine Day", but it's the ballards where her voice soars. "Twenty-Fifth Of Last December", "The Closer I Get To You" (with Donny Hathaway) and the myserious and lush "Where I'll Find You" are all breath taking. In fact, "Where I'll Find You" is one of my favorite tunes ever recorded by Flack. I understand that it is from a Ken Harper (The Wiz) production called "Bamboo" of which I've never been able to track down any information on. Also, unfortuately, some of the lyrics (especially in the bridge) are difficult to decipher. If anyone can supply more info on this song, please e-mail me. And back to the album, this is a must for anyone who cherishes Flack's lush interpretations and consistently smooth products.

If you want an album for romantics this is it. Although most of the album you won't find on the greatest hits these tracks are all very good, blend well and will set the mood for many a night.

This is Roberta's finest work. A "must" any fan.

This is my favorite album of hers and with the collaboration with Donny Hathaway, both have stood the test of time.

This disc is worth purchasing just for "The Closer I Get To You". Roberta Flack has one of the most beatiful voices in music. Her releases never leave you dissapointed. She always delivers the goods.

As a purveyor of classically tinged jazz inflected soul, Roberta Flack established her trademark and reputation with her first three solo albums. "First Take" was a stunning masterpiece. "Chapter Two" and "Quiet Fire" were brilliant follow ups and nearly as good. "Killing Me Softly" featured mostly excellent material and great performances but betrayed early signs of commercialism. Even the comparatively lightweight "Feel Like Making Love" with its heavy emphasis on smooth midnight soul had many moments of pure inspiration to remind us of the great Roberta's artistry. Following a two-year hiatus from recording, she finally released "Blue Lights In the Basement" in 1977 and what a crushing disappointment it turned out to be. Not that it was a bad album. Only that it seemed criminal to subject a mammoth talent like Roberta to this kind of bland MOR production setting. She deserved better. Sure, there are some good tunes in there. "The Closer I Get To You" (a duet with Donny Hathaway) is an obvious smash but isn't nearly as subtle as "Where Is The Love", the duo's earlier hit. "Why Don't You Move In With Me", "25th of Last September", "I'd Like To Be Baby To You" and the last two tracks are all more than decent samplings of the supper club style Roberta would acquire in her later career. "Fine Fine Day" and "After You" are just plain dull while her rendition of Gwen Guthrie's "This Time I'll Be Sweeter" is so sickly sweet (no pun intended) it reminded me of Diana Ross & Lionel Ritchie. Wait, it gets worse. Roberta truly hits rock bottom with a mechanical and leaden cover of the Box Top's "Soul Deep". It's so awful and pointless I wonder what the producers were after when they came up with the arrangement for the number. I know some Roberta Flack fans like this album. I don't need to because I have her first 5 albums to savour and delight in forever. Some music critics say "Blue Lights In the Basement" was her last good album until her prodigious comeback album "Roberta" in 1994. I have to believe them. This is not the place to discover Roberta Flack. Her greatness will elude you. Go all the way back and begin with "First Take". It will blow your mind !