Released: 1979
Yuck.
Just yuck.
Love Unlimited are turned into faceless disco session singers like Silver Convention.
Like some contemporaneous Barry White productions, the music here is very heavy on the bass. I guess White was trying to replicate (or if we’re being polite, heavily influenced by) the success of the band Chic. That group emphasized bass guitar and had their singers continuously sing in unison.
Love Unlimited had previous success with harmonies. Their voices would move together creating something nice and even beautiful. Just go back and listen to “I Belong to You”. They also had a better lead singer than Chic ever did with Glodean White. She was more than capable of breaking away from the harmonies and belting on her own.
These songs kind of do the worst thing possible with the vocals. The unified singing is almost devoid of harmony. Instead the ladies sound like they’re just speaking in one voice. It also happens way too often not allowing Glodean to blow away or even subtly croon when necessary.
The worst offenders of this sound are the album’s first two songs: “I’m So Glad That I’m A Woman” and “High Steppin’, Hip Dressin’ Fella (You Got It Together)”.
“When I’m In Your Arms, Everything’s Okay” sounds like a rip off “Shake Your Body (Down to the Ground)” by the Jacksons and is only marginally better than the songs that precede it.
The final two songs on the LP, “Gotta Be Where You Are” and “I’m His Woman”, are worth some minor praise. They somewhat re-capture the vocal style that was Love Unlimited’s trademark. And that’s not an advertisement to engage in nostalgia. The songs focus on what Love Unlimited did best instead of trying to follow the trends of others.
“If You Want Me, Say It” kind of balances the nods to the old with the horrific present.
But no way can those three average songs make up for the rest of the crap on this album. There were no hit singles. The album was only on the R&B charts for a mere three weeks rising to #70 before disappearing into the ether.
ALBUM GRADE: D-
Not to shit on anyone, but I noticed that the worst songs here were all co-written by Frank Wilson. Wilson had done good work before, but man did he screw the pooch on this one. Of course, Barry White as well as Paul Politi co-wrote those songs with Wilson, so it wasn’t all his fault.
However, the album’s two best songs are devoid of Wilson. Just pointing that out.
Anyways, that’s the end of Love Unlimited’s own albums. They’d appear as background singers on a few more solo Barry White albums, but this is the end of the road for them otherwise.
Song Scores
I’m So Glad That I’m A Woman: 2/10
High Steppin’, Hip Dressin’ Fella (You Got It Together): 2/10
When I’m In Your Arms, Everything’s Okay: 3/10
If You Want Me, Say It: 5/10
I’m Givin’ You A Love (Every Man Is Searchin’ For): 3/10
Gotta Be Where You Are: 6.5/10
I’m His Woman: 6/10