LP Review: Heartbreak, Circumstantial Evidence, and Wake Up
Shalamar's increasingly dreadful demise
HEARTBREAK
Released: November 1984
Well, if The Look had Shalamar incorporating new wave and synthpop, Heartbreak is them being consumed by those genres and losing any identity. Or perhaps it was losing Jody Watley and Jeffrey Daniel and “gaining” Mikki Free and Delisa Davis in return that made them lose their identity…
Not trying to be snarky, but I can’t tell how much of this underwhelming album should be blamed on generally terrible trends in 80s pop music, the lineup change, or SOLAR pushing Shalamar completely toward a rock sound which essentially alienated the group from their core Black audience while gambling on a White audience that should have but never did embrace them over the previous half-decade.
Oh and longtime Shalamar producer Leon Sylvers was pushed aside in favor of keyboard synth maestro David “Hawk” Wolinski, who produced most of the album.
Guess I should point out the decent stuff since the album does kick off quite strongly with “Amnesia” and “Dancing In The Sheets”.
“Amnesia” is an okay pop-rock song, but again White folks weren’t buying any Black rock music unless it was by Prince. This track was produced by George Duke.
“Dancing In The Sheets” is actually pretty great club music. Since it was part of the massively popular Footloose soundtrack, it also got decent airplay reaching #17 R&B and #18 pop becoming Shalamar’s last hit.
The final song that leaves a positive impression is “My Girl Loves Me”, which is another great club song courtesy of Hawk Wolinski.
The other songs here aren’t bad, just average or uninspired. Except “Don’t Get Stopped In Beverly Hills”. That song suuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuucks.
ALBUM GRADE: C-
SONG SCORES
Amnesia: 6.5/10
Dancing In The Sheets: 7.5/10
Whenever You Need Me: 5/10
Heartbreak: 6/10
Don’t Get Stopped In Beverly Hills: 0/10
My Girl Loves Me: 7/10
Melody (An Erotic Affair): 5/10
Deceiver: 3/10
CIRCUMSTANTIAL EVIDENCE
Released: June 1987
Howard Hewett jumped off the sinking Shalamar ship and was replaced with Sydney Justin. This new “Shalamar” now was completely unmoored from any identity. Largely produced by Babyface and L.A. Reid, Circumstantial Evidence manages to bit some good beats mimicking Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, but it all comes across as cold and lame.
“Games” (which rips off Cameo’s “Single Life”) and “Born 2 Love You” are the only serviceable songs here. Both are 6/10.
I tell ya one good thing that comes from listening to this sorry album. You appreciate the vocal work of Karyn White and Pebbles much more. They both worked with similar beats and made them sound a whole lot better than this.
ALBUM GRADE: D
WAKE UP
Released: August 1990
This stuttering piece of New Jack Swing’s opening track is “Caution: This Love Is Hot!”
…
Yes, you read that right.
…
…
…