Customer Reviews

One Love One Dream

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

 

 

From the poppy synths to the tight,slick grooves of urban contemporary. From the happy proclamation of love in the opening title track, to the painfully romantic lament of Cindy, this disc is compelling. The fact that many critics dismissed it, upon release, such as Ron Wynn, who in 2 words summed up his opinion "Rather Drab" kept many from making this a purchase of theirs. There's also a demeaning factor that A&M upon closing in the mid nineties (it opened again in 1999) deleted a great deal of its catalog...including every album by Herb Alpert (co-owner of the label) and Gato Barbieri...saving only huge hitmakers such as Janet Jackson, Sting, Sheryl Crow, among others. They did still print Osbornes first albums but in limited quantity and only kept one LTD disc in print as well. Hopefully Universal will at least reprint these albums so people can hear this mans voice. its there, its hot, and its still so entertaining. If they were remastered it might even make me re-buy them. Get this if you can!

I wanted to get this album when it came out back in 1988, but I got it in summer '89. I can't tell you how many times I sang along to She's On The Left and All Because of You and its spare sections! Can't Go Back on A Promise I still like! The other songs like One Love, One Dream, Cindy, You Can't Get Love from A Stone are some other super efforts. Jeffrey Osborne had his 5th best album after the '82, '83, '84 and '86 albums with this one. I never thought that he would pull this one off in a year that Bobby Brown, Keith Sweat and Al B Sure dominated R&B but he proved to be just as competitive. One of his finest works as an artist and a more mature sounding effort too.

Funk had one of it's richest baritone singers of the 70's in LTD's Jeffrey Osborne. Seven years earlier he'd made his solo venture away from the group with his George Duke produced Jeffrey Osborne,itself an excellent album that presented the singer/songwriter as firmly in tune with his double edged musical voice forged in the previous decade. By 1988.....the music landscape was undergoing almost too many changes to keep up with. During this time an artist like Osborne's credibility depended on their own general sense of musical dignity:whether they just wanted to sell records or remain true to themselves with the new landscape.Luckily Jeffrey choose to go the latter way. The eleven songs on this album present him firmly in the style of the late 80's urban contemporary/funk-dance style of the late 80's.And while the drum programming and digitial synthesizers are definately here....they never seem to get in the way of the songs. And in that respect the music will probably grab more people with time.Being this is Jeffrey Osborne there are plenty of richly arranged ballads like "All Because Of You","Cindy","True Believers","The Family" as well as "Can't Go Back On A Promise" and "My Heart Can't Wait Forever",both co-written with Ross Vannelli,younger brother of the very talented (and funky) Gino Vannelli. One thing that sticks out about this album to me is that during an era when pop music seemed to be judged by every musical gimmick around,especially digitized ones Osborne in fine funk fasion puts the uptempo stuff here in a context that's both contemporary for it's time and really musically satisfying.The title song is composed with David Wolinkski,a well known R&B songwriter/producer/artist like Osborne and actually has a booty kicking 80's funk throb."She's On The Left" is probably more of a groove than a song per se."(You Can't Get) Love From A Stone" is really a pretty hard driving jam with some equally powerful singing from Jeffrey;Jerry Hey's horn section along with a surprisingly biting sax solo for...yes Kirk Whalum throw in plenty of bite.Even though he didn't write it nothing could be more appropriate to the times lyrically than the closing tune "Social Climbers";considering the phony bourgeise kind of attitudes deeply affecting whole segments of the black community during this time,no irony is lost on me as he sets the subject to a deeply funky party jam. Considering the cuban pop craze still sweeping America with Gloria Estefan and such in this time "La Cuenta,Por Favor" isn't all too surprising but also serves as a reminder that,as a funk era performer Osborne never lost touch with how even the poppy variety of Afro-Cuban dance music effected the roots from which he came. Even if the general sound of the 80's still makes your caution lights come on (it usually doesn't to me) there is a lot to admire,respect and enjoy about this album.And if you can pick it up at a decent price it's something great to have on in just about any setting you can think of.

I love Jeffrey Osborne. IMO he has one of the best voices out there. My fav song from this cd are:
The Family (We know life isn't all magic but I'll always support your needs anytime you get nervous baby know you always got me...!!!) love it

Can't Go Back on A Promise

La Cuenta,Por Favor (My friend and I love singing this song!)