Customer Reviews

Joy

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

 

 

I'm one of the biggest fans of classic soul/r&b on the planet, and as such I'm NOT a huge fan of much post-1984 r&b. This later album by Pendergrass, however, is one of the rare exceptions.

Despite the larger presence of electronic beats and drum machines on this album, compared to earler Pendergrass/Philadelphia International/Gamble & Huff releases, this 1988 release is a true throwback to a time when the music mattered the most......and actual talent dictated the pace of songs and the way they were written. I picked this up at a bargain price, and I must say that I was shocked by the quality of the CD, from the first song to the last. The electonic instruments are used effectively for the most part and are never overwhelming, but instead do an effective job of imitating old-fashioned soul arrangements.

Other than the first two songs on the CD ("Joy" and "2 a.m."......the two single releases), I was unfamiliar with the album. But incredibly, Pendergrass is in fine form throughout and never sounded better. You'd never guess Pendergrass was paralyzed in a car accident just a few years before. The entire album maintains an incredibly romantic, wistful feel.......perfect for any evening with your special one.......or even for yourself when you want to relax to smooth soul.

"This Is The Last Time" is a standout track, and the female backup singers are extremely effective on this disc........they themselves throwbacks to old call-and-respond soul. Think of this disc as an old-time church for love!

Does it match TP's earlier albums? Amazingly, yes. This is, in my opinion, his best album since "Life Is a Song Worth Singing," ......and it nearly matches his self-titled debut. Though nothing can match his classic "Harold Melvin and the Bluenotes" days, this disc is about as good as soul gets in the late 80s. A rare display of true soulful talent in an era pretty much devoid of honest soul (Perhaps only Franklie Beverly & Maze's later albums could still truly lay that claim)..........if you're an r&b fanatic, or a fan of Philly soul, I'd highly recommend Teddy Pendergrass' "Joy" album.

The 80s was a great time for soul music. Teddy Pendegrass, Luther Vandross, Peabo Bryson, Freddie Jackson, Alexander O'Neal and Billy Ocean all put out creative albums that dealt with the ups and downs of relationships from the male perspective. It makes a refreshing change from the monotonous bump n grind on offer today.

Teddy's 1988 album was one of my favourite albums of the decade. Although he never fully recovered from that fatal car accident that left him paralysed, he still managed to put together 8 great songs.

The album opens with the great dance floor number, "Joy", with its catchy hooks and solid bass line. It still sounds good today. This is a mostly mellow album, and the ballads are truly outstanding. There aren't many albums that get me all emotional, but this one comes close. With the help of the backing vocals (Charlene Holloway, Annette Hardeman, Elizabeth Hogue and Miles Jaye) Teddy tugs at those heart strings.

"Love Is The Power" - lovely song
"This Is The Last Time" - it's the backing singers who carry the song, but that's ok.
"Through The Falling Rain" - this is the track the gets my going. Anyone who's been in love will be able to relate to this song.
"Can We Be Lovers" - this was a heart-felt plea with a touch of melancholy.

This is one of the most underrated albums of the 80s, despite the quality of the music. If you haven't discovered this superb album yet, I would say `give it a try' - you won't be disappointed.

Although he could no longer sing with the vocal ferocity and prowess that had been a hallmark of his PIR (pre-1982) albums, "Joy" is as good as any of his 1977-82 releases. The title track was a huge hit but "Love Is The Power" and "2 A.M." are the reasons to buy this CD which proved (once and for all) that Teddy's career would continue.

It doesn't matter what you call him--TP, Teddy Bear or Teddy Pendergrass. If he sings it, it's going to be great. Enjoy!

...Teddy Pendergrass still shone on this excellent 1988 album.True,this was very much in the spirit of the eighties,but the songs are varied,from midtempo numbers to ballads,and brimming with taste,elegance and inspiration.A true joy!

This CD put Teddy on the Map! Ladies you'll love this amazing cd. Dance tune Joy and smoothe listening in 2am are classic. Teddy at his finest-Gotta have this one! All Teddy fans, listen to him when he sang in Harold Melvin and the Blue notes as a backup singer

Considering that his first two post accident albums in the mid 80's were'nt quite as strong events as one might expect them to be this 1988 album,again recorded for Elektra came as something of a surprise. This marks a significant return to form for Teddy on a number of levels. First his vocal muse has fully returned and the choos,growls and passionate screams have all returned to the levels that they had been at during the late 70's and early part of this particular decade. Not only that but his musical backdrop was a lot stronger,varied and tastefully contemporary. A couple of the tunes on this album recieve production courtesy of Midnight Starr's Calloway brothers and one of them is the opening title track,which through it's 6+ minutes finds Teddy in an upbeat state with party sounds in back of him and the beat heavy,older school 80's funk/hip-hop/pre-new jack swing style groove (not in many ways too disimilar to Cameo's Word Up) really has it all on an excellent uptempo number. Same goes for the celebratory "Love Is The Power",also written by the Calloways. Songs such as "2 A.M","Good To You","Through The Falling Rain" and "Can We Be Lovers" find a lot of the same kind of melodic/harmonic energies that marked Teddy's Philly era music both within and outside the Bluenotes and are much more indicative examples of Teddy's unique talents than the slower songs on his two previous albums. Two songs here stand out very much on their own merrit. The rhythmically varying "I'm Ready" contains some dramatically chorded refrains that are every bit as exciting as the type Kenny Gamble and/or Leon Huff always had the ability to throw out without a breath at their height. "This Is The Last Time",a song with strong melodic referrences to Teddy's first Bluenotes era hit "If You Don't Know Me By Now" also features that excellent call and response from the backup singers and,to a degree from Teddy himself through the magic of double tracking. The eight songs that comprise this album are spirited,optimistic and exciting especially considering it was not only from an era that many today see as anything but looking back in reflection but that it didn't seem like Teddy's spirits would ever be aroused enough to come back to this level ever again. On both fronts this wound up to be a triumph!