Power of Love

by

Luther Vandross

Edit

No one sings like Luther. He has the kind of voice that makes you dance one minute and gives you chills the next.

"The Rush" is a sophisticated up-tempo track with a playful keyboard riff and sexy chorus: "I get a rush! Its love for sure!" he sings. It's definitely a head-bobbing tune.

"I'm Gonna Start Today" and "Power of Love/Love Power" both have inspirational messages. "Don't Want to Be a Fool" is a sweet mid-tempo cut that again, has a positive message.

"I Want the Night to Stay" has a surreal sound to it with a gorgeous melody. There's something magical about Luther's back-up singers that enhance his songs. "Sometimes Its Only Love" is another ballad that is moving and passionate, especially at the fade.

BUT MY FAVORITE SONG OFF THIS ALBUM is the heartwrenching duet with Martha Wash called "I(Who Have Nothing)". My Goodness!!! Talk about sparks flying! This is a powerful work of art to say the least. The first time I heard this song I was moved to tears. Luther has a way of hitting home with lyrics you can truly feel in certain times of your lives. This song is an example.

It's a shame there aren't more reviews of this album but as they say 3's a charm.

Peace. CLB.

Not only did Luther continue his incredible streak of Platinum records with the Top Ten, Grammy Award-winning THE POWER OF LOVE, but he also followed through on the crossover success of "Here And Now" by scoring two more major pop hits. He had been a mainstay of the Billboard's Hot 200 albums chart for 10 years, and now Luther was finally a force to be reckoned with on the Hot 100 singles chart as well.

Luther also adapted to the changing times by incorporating the then-popular sound of house/techno music into his compositions. Unfortunately, this type of dance music hasn't aged particularly well, so approximately half of THE POWER OF LOVE actually sounds more dated than anything he had released prior. However, this is still a pretty good album, with more than enough reasons to recommend it. Luther has much more personality as a writer and performer than most artists of this genre, and he knows how to craft a killer track. The best dance song is easily the majestic medley "Power Of Love/Love Power" (#4 Pop, #1 R&B, #3 Adult Contemporary), which was a monster hit upon release and still holds up as a classic.

However, there are a few more techno cuts on this disc that also stand the test of time. Even if the emphasis is more on style than substance, tracks like "She Doesn't Mind" and "I Can Tell You That" prove to be irresistible due to their strong hooks and inventive arrangements. Unfortunately, the by-the-numbers "Emotional Fire" is an exception to this rule, and today sounds like relic of the era. And although the urban radio hit "The Rush" (#73 Pop, #6 R&B) packs a undeniably strong sensual punch, the condensed single edit is actually superior to the overlong album version.

With the exception of "I'm Gonna Start Today" (which has clever lyrics, but is done in by a rambling melody), all of the ballads on THE POWER OF LOVE are top-notch. As the earnest "I Want To Stay The Night" and the lovely radio hit "Sometimes It's Only Love" (#9 R&B, #9 Adult Contemporary) can attest, Luther has that special gift for writing and performing songs that not only do justice to his amazing vocal abilities, but also manage to be universal without being typical. Nowhere is this more evident than on the heartfelt smash hit "Don't Want To Be A Fool" (#9 Pop, #4 R&B, #14 Adult Contemporary), which stands as one of his heartbreaking best.

Even if some moments of THE POWER OF LOVE don't hold up as well as others, there are so many highlights, most listeners won't care. Also, though the album doesn't gel into the unified listening experience of his previous recordings, it is so well-made and professional-sounding that it always sounds good while it's on. And it also has an absolutely terrific finale in the epic reworking of "I Who Have Nothing," on which Martha Wash lends a sizzling duet vocal.