LP Review: It's Gonna Be Right
Released: 1985
LP Charts: #56 R&B
Given the huge success of “Encore” from her previous album Preppie, it’s unsurprising that Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis return on It’s Gonna Be Right to produce “Fidelity”, which is a stone-cold knockoff/sequel to “Encore”. The knockoff quality is all in the groove, the sequel is in the lyrical content. In “Encore” Lynn was demanding an encore performance of midnight lovin’. In “Fidelity” Lynn is fed up she can’t get that “encore” cuz her lover has been spreadin’ that love around a bit.
Speaking of knockoffs, “It’s Gonna Be Right” recycles the groove from Lynn’s first hit, “Got to Be Real”. Since it’s Lynn singing over her signature groove of course the song is pretty darn good. But it’s a retread.
Technically not Jam and Lewis production, but “Love’s Been Here Before” was helmed by their former Time associate Monte Moir, so it’s Minneapolis-style R&B anyways.
Never fear. Jam and Lewis step aside for the rest of the album.
Electro-funk-dance maven Hubert Eaves produced two songs: the midtempo R&B of “Let Me Love You” and the uptempo pop-rock of “Find Somebody New”. The former is pretty decent, the latter is average.
So we got four songs left and they were all written by Lynn and Thurlene Johnson. The best of this bunch, and of the whole album, is the soothing synth ballad “Fade to Black”.
“Loafin’” brings more midtempo R&B that was standard for 1985. “Slipped Me A Mickey” has a questionable title, at best, and is pretty boring. Worst song Lynn had recorded since the ill-fated “Star Love” on her debut album. “Tug O’ War” ain’t much better.
ALBUM GRADE: C
The first half of the album is pretty good, but then falls to pieces on the back end. The album also fell to pieces commercially. No hit singles and no appreciable chart action. Sadly, Cheryl Lynn albums wouldn’t do much better from here on out.
Song Scores
Fidelity: 7/10
Fade to Black: 7.5/10
Love’s Been Here Before: 6/10
It’s Gonna Be Right: 7/10
Let Me Love You: 6.5/10
Find Somebody New: 5/10
Loafin': 6/10
Slipped Me A Mickey: 3/10
Tug O’ War: 5/10