Released: 1985
A lot can change in two years.
In 1983, Rick James released his third straight blockbuster album, Cold Blooded, on the heels of Throwin’ Down and Street Songs. The first two albums went gold and the third triple platinum. Instead of riding that hot streak, James took a respite in 1984 and released a greatest hits compilation: Reflections. In typically annoying Motown fashion, the compilation also featured three new songs that shoulda been saved for a new album.
Released in 1985, Glow is one of the better Rick James albums, but its sales lagged, rising to only #7 R&B and #50 pop, easily James’s worst album showing since Garden Of Love in 1980. If Glow had the three new songs on Reflections subbed in for its three weakest tracks we’re looking at a Rick James LP bested only by Street Songs and may have continued his commercial hot streak.
Instead, we begin the slow demise of Rick James.
REFLECTIONS
The three new songs on Reflections are all at least alright with “You Turn Me On” being an outright classic and even classy. Yes, a CLASSY song by Rick James. It might be my favorite thing ever recorded by him since it is bursting at the seams with vibrancy. The horns are mighty festive including a delightful sax solo. There is a sparkling piano, a sizzling electric guitar, and best of all some jubilant Latin percussion. The whole song is having a ball.
PRO-TIP: Listen to the 12” version cuz you get more of the joy.
The shimmering classiness of “You Turn Me On” generally showed the path that James was headed down for the upcoming Glow.
However “17” (#6 R&B, #36 pop) was a continuation of his recent past. The music itself is very good, but the lyrics are questionable at the very best. As you can easily guess, the song is about James being enticed by teenage “jail-bait.” Not my analysis, James’s own words in the song. Would it have been that hard to have the same theme of being tempted except by an adult? Apparently so. Song has one helluva a riff and guitar solo, too.
Lastly, there was “Oh What A Night (4 Luv)”. It’s a doo-wop styled ballad. Not nearly as bad as you might initially imagine such a song to be from James!
Song Scores
17: 7.5/10
Oh What A Night (4 Luv): 7/10
You Turn Me On: 10/10
GLOW — SIDE 1
After the place-holding Reflections in 1984, Glow came out in 1985 and it is a dramatic difference from James’s last full LP, Cold Blooded. Glow is really busy musically with lots of things happening while Cold Blooded was (generally speaking) very sparse in its sound.
The first track on Glow is quintessential 1985 music. “Can’t Stop” (#10 R&B) belongs in the opening credits of Beverly Hills Cop or an episode of Miami Vice with its big drums, soaring guitar, and pulsing synthesizers. A song you definitely rock your padded shoulders to. “Spend the Night With Me” is more music that I can’t believe is so totally 1985. Whereas “Can’t Stop” relied on the guitar to give it that mid-80s feel, “Night” has a saxophone squawking all over the place.
Next up is “Melody Makes Me Dance”, which is all about setting an atmospheric mood built upon layers and layers of synths and keyboards. James doesn’t start singing until 1:45 into the song. Everything before that is just… atmosphere. Less ethereal is “Somebody (The Girl’s Got)”. The song has some vocoder and a Minneapolis Funk style guitar plus a timbales solo. Nothing groundbreaking here, but a solid funk tune.
GLOW — SIDE 2
The first half of this album is enjoyable, but the first two tracks of Side 2 is where the action really is on this LP.
“Glow” (#5 R&B, #1 disco) is a fucking jam. A bit corny since it’s about auras and whatnot, but a jam nonetheless! The intro takes you by surprise with its pulsing synths and corny angelic vocals. However, that corniness begins to just wear you down (in a good way) as the song goes on because James seems shockingly earnest when he says “Glow! Don’t you know you are beautiful?!”
Thanks for the pep talk.
At the 3:00 mark the song takes a turn when James starts scatting and then after a short keyboard solo, a heretofore unheard horn section begins taking over. A trumpet and a saxophone each get solos as does a rocking electric guitar. I think Rick James just did a glossy mid-80s synth-funk jazz jam. And it worked.
All throughout “Glow” there was a rock solid bass. Well that bass becomes even rocker and solider on “Moonchild”, which is easily the coolest song ever recorded by James. The bass here is phat and just grinds through the mid-tempo song. Plus there’s a flute. Lastly, the lyrics on “Glow” were corny, but on “Moonchild” they are endearing. How did Rick James get so sentimental on us?
Okay, the sentimentality gets out of control on “Sha La La La La (Come Back Home)”. The ballad is too sappy for its own good. And the LP concludes with “Rock And Roll Control” a solid rock tune that steals its riff from a previous James rocker (“Fire It Up”). This new tune does feature a harmonica, though. Huzzah for musical variety!
ALBUM GRADE: B-
The biggest problem with Glow was the era it was recorded. The bones of each song are at least decent, and most extremely good. However the mid-80s production techniques hinder a lot of the possibilities here. If made five years earlier or ten years later, this would have sounded like timeless great music instead of really good music of its era.
Still very much worth listening to, IMO.
Song Scores
Can’t Stop: 7/10
Spend the Night With Me: 7/10
Melody Makes Me Dance: 7.5/10
Somebody (The Girl’s Got): 6.5/10
Glow: 8.5/10
Moonchild: 9/10
Sha La La La La (Come Back Home): 5/10
Rock and Roll Control: 6.5/10