Customer Reviews

Can't Slow Down (Dlx) (Dig)

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I practically grew up with this album, along with Michael Jackson's "Thriller." The hit singles bring back so many wonderful memories of 1984. Of course, even without of those memories, the tracks are absolutely stellar on their own.

"All Night Long" was the very first Lionel Richie track I can remember hearing (I was a year-and-a-half old when it was released in late 1983). Because of that, I consider it to be his signature song. "Hello" also captured my fancy; one would think that such a young child would not be interested in it, but I certainly was. Mr. Richie's earnest and friendly vocal performance, coupled with the wonderful melodies and chords, as well as the wash of synthesizer pads, captivated me even at age 2.

"Stuck on You" is another very earnest track, which took me a while to warm up to. It is in the key of F-major, which always left me with an almost sad, bittersweet feeling whenever I heard such a song. But it's chorus hook and rock guitar hook after each chorus always stayed with me.

I've saved my absolute favorite track for last: "Running With the Night," which is my all-time favorite Lionel Richie track. Not only is it completely danceable, but I love the fact that it was written in the key of A-minor, the one key with which I usually associate many of my favorite early '80s tracks, which include Shannon's "Give Me Tonight," Journey's "Who's Crying Now?," and Hall and Oates' "Out of Touch," as well as many others.

The title track is my favorite non-single; it is a shame that it was not released as a single. To read in the liner notes of this new edition the excitement and energy felt by Mr. Richie when he first wrote and then cut the track makes it all the more shameful that such exuberant effort was not given the exposure it deserved. Oh well. It is still a killer track.

The re-mastered audio doesn't fare so well. It's decent, but it doesn't sound better than the original CD release. The bass and treble have been tweaked greatly, but the bass seems to have been overemphasized, which makes the tracks sound very muddy. Even worse, the mid-range seems to have been rolled off considerably, which is where the music's presence and body comes from. The whole experience is simply empty as a result. I don't know what the engineer was trying to accomplish, but he mucked it up.

Despite that, this edition of the album is absolutely recommended, if only for the second CD.

I agree with the March 2, 2006 reviewer. Beware when you purchase this "remastered" version because the sound quality is so low, that you almost have to cut your CD player up to full volume to hear some of the tracks (hence the idea of remastering is to give you better sound quality not worse). I find the bonus material to be acceptable, however, and the additional remixes are fine as well (if you are a fan). Just don't understand who in the quality control department, (or why even Lionel himself) let this one fly, because volume wise it is absolutely terrible. I am curious if the single disc remastered version is any better.

I have listened to this album alot since i bought it, i also bought this orginal album on cassette when it came out as well. This is by far Lionel's best album. I even loved the extended cuts as well as the ones that didn't make the orginal. excellent work Lionel, i would love it if you still keep playing wonderful music for a long time to come.

I remember hearing the release on Sept.8th 1983 of "All Night Long" on my FM radio. Thriller was the big album of the day. "Can't Slow Down" was a worthy competitor to "Thriller" and had it share of number one hits and hits in general. I look back at those years of 1983-1984 when "Can't slow Down" was climbing the charts and realize what a creative recording this really was. I had the vinyl lp back in those years and even the "All Night Long" 45 on the blue Motown label.(remember those 45s). David Foster co-produced this landmark Motown recording. David Foster also produced the 1984s 7,500,00O seller Chicago 17. Everything Lionel Richie touched at this time, from music to Pepsi commercials turned to gold. Lionel Richie was at a creative zenith at this time of his career that few music stars or even celebrities even reach, Lionel could do no wrong. Lionel was even selling out big arenas with his music tours. After some marriage problems Lionel Richie lost his magic touch, and really disapeared from the publics eye and recorded and released some more recordings with little fanfare. As of 2004 here in NYC I saw Lionel Richie performing a free concert at Bryant Park which he really enjoyed performing, what a fall from the mountain Lionel was once on top of. The extra demos might be overkill but it gives you some insight to how this 1980s landmark album was created. I enjoyed the intstrumental of "All Night Long". The linear notes are very informative and facinating. Definitly highly recommended listening. "CAN'T SLOW DOWN" is a recording worth a delux cd edition. Regardless of the negatives and naysayers Lionel Richie during the years 1983-1984 reached a peak in his career few musicians or celebrities have and ever will.

"Can't Slow Down" was Lionel Richie's "Thriller",going to #1 and containing five Top Ten smashes like "All Night Long","Hello","Running With The Night","Stuck On You" and "Penny Lover".The album tracks are also very good like the danceable title song,the lengthy but smooth slow jam "Love Will Find A Way" and the lush David Foster-produced ballad "The Only One".This R&B/pop classic got the Deluxe Edition treatment in 2003 with the original album remastered brillantly from the first-generation master tapes by the great Kevin Reeves at Universal Mastering Studios-East plus single/12-inch remixes of "All Night Long","Penny Lover" and "Running With The Night" added on the first disc.The second disc,called "The Ground Floor",is filled with demos,alternates,working masters and session jams.While a couple of them are interesting("Tell Me",which became "Please Hold On",the standout album track on Chicago 17,and an alternate version of "Penny Lover" which contains most of the background vocals on the remixed single),most of them are not worth more than one listen.Aside from that,this is a nice package,especially for the luscious,bassy,smooth-sounding remastering.

this is Long over due to Me.without a doubt this is Lionel's Best Solo Effort to Me.this Compilation Contains Re-Mixes&Bonus Material&Some tight stuff.the Re-Mastering Sounds Really Good.this is the way a Re-mastered Album should be."Love will find a Way" is still the Jam here.Fans of Lionel from the early 80's will enjoy this Double Set.together with James Anothny Carmichael Lionel Richie Created One of the Best Albums from the 80's&this Album still works.

I'm so happy that this album was finally chosen to be digitally remastered etc. I never thought there came a 2-CD Deluxe Edition, but it happened!!! GREAT!!! I was a fan of the Commodores (Three Times A Lady, Sail On, Still etc.) and Lionel's first album, so it became quite easy to love his second album at the close of 1983. It was a blockbuster in those days, and: IT STILL IS!!! This is much better than what we hear every day on the R&B radiostations...this album (like so many others in the 80's) has a heart. Eight tracks of soul/dance at it's best. The singles did very well in our country and there were 5(!) out of 8. Not bad at all ;o)
Every track has hit-potention. In those days I hoped for a single-release of Can't Slow Down; I really liked that one... a mysterious beat, a 'willing' song for things to come, very rare L.R. but o so nice... The single remixes (also on disc 1) are good. There IS a difference between the album version and the 12 inch version of All Night Long. The bonus material on this disc is a pretty good add-on to the original album. Because it's now remastered, it sounds even more nice. Disc 2 has 12 early versions of the album and some of them are almost equal to the album versions! AND THAT WAS ONLY A DEMO!!! Examples? : Can't Slow Down, Love Will Find A Way, The Only One. Very good demo-stages. There's a hidden track (no. 13) but it could have easily been a great disc without it ;o) Enjoy this Deluxe Edition in it's fullest. It's one you simply can't miss in your soul/disco/dance/R&B collection.

If you guys don't know, the biggest album of 1983 was Lionel Richie's landmark album, Can't Slow Down. It topped mainstream R&B forever. This 2003 reissue is finally remastered, for the first time ever. Disc 1 features the original album and 12" mixes including a rare instrumental of "All Night Long". Disc 2 features rare sessions and jams. 2 or 3 of these tracks have never been heard before, the rest are just previously unreleased sessions that Lionel Richie started in 1982, I think. The booklet has some interesting, liner notes and session info. This is one of the best reissues of 2003, in my opinion. ...

So I'll start with the alleged remastering; you'd think that at least the main course should sound better than the appetizers but that isn't the case here. The volume levels are so low and the voice levels are so soft you can hardly hear Lionel above the music. The sound quality is also very patchy with some tracks sounding a lot better than others but what really gets me is that the bonus remixes added on to disc one sound a lot better than the main album which is criminal.

Secondly, there are only so many versions of "All Night Long" I can stand on one album before I get really sick of the song and we have 3 of them here. Disc 2 is totally redundant and is full of fillers. The only redeeming track is "Tell Me" for me and only because it shows me what the great track "Please Hold On" written by David Foster and performed so brilliantly by Chicago on their album "17" sounded like as a rough idea that was demo-ed by Lionel Richie. Listen to "Please Hold On" by Chicago and you'll know what I mean about how much better the final product is that started out as the skeleton track "Tell Me".

Save your money folks because Disc 2 is truly forgettable and unnecessary unless you have money to burn. I really hope they remaster this album again properly without the bonus fillers and perhaps package it in a mini-lp sleeve on one disc; that's the only way they will do justice to this otherwise classic album and by far Lionel Richie's best solo work.

Final recommendation: not worth the money; get the normal one disc version that's out there.

...as good as this is, Motown should've re-released all three Lionel Richie remasters (LIONEL RICHIE, CAN'T SLOW DOWN and DANCING ON THE CEILING) in one package instead of three. Here's what should have been:

THE LIONEL RICHIE COLLECTION

CD 1
1. Endless Love (w/Diana Ross)
2. Serves You Right
3. Wandering Stranger
4. My Love
5. Tell Me
6. Round And Round
7. Truly
8. You Are
9. You Mean More To Me
10. Just Put Some Love In Your Heart
11. Can't Slow Down
12. All Night Long
13. Penny Lover
14. Stuck On You
15. Love Will Find A Way
16. The Only One
17. Running With The Night
18. Hello

CD 2
1. Dancing On The Ceiling
2. Se La
3. Ballerina Girl
4. Don't Stop
5. Deep River Woman
6. Love Will Conquer All
7. Tonight Will Be Alright
8. Say You, Say Me
9. Night Train (Smooth Alligator)
10. Do It To Me
11. My Destiny
12. Love, Oh Love
13. All Night Long (12" Mix)
14. Dancing On The Ceiling (12" Mix)