luther vandross - forever, for always, for love [poll]

Sounds to me like a less intense sequel to his classic 1981 album, down to the self-production. First appearance of Marcus Miller in the credits. I don't much like his medley-covers. But "She Loves Me Back" is one of his giddiest love songs -- he understands the euphoria we feel when suddenly what we've fantasized/jerked off to might have a real life component (I love when when the instruments drop out before the chorus). Also dig "Once You Know How."

A truly great LP opener. "Aw yeah!"

"she loves me back" really is fantastic ... it's interesting to hear how early in his career he was really trying to go for crossover hits. when you hear "she loves me back" and think about some of the songs that became hits in the mid 80s you can acutely feel luther's frustration w/ being ghettoized. i do think the song is a little imitative as opposed to having luther's true authorial stamp on it, but it does show how incredible of a producer he was and it has that giddiness that is present in more distinct songs like "til my baby comes home" that i associate w/ POV. a bursting exuberance for love and romance that to me belies his presentation of straight maleness? like there is simping (straight male trait) and then there are some luther songs where his desire to burst free from the closet to experience this platonic ideal love is rendered in terms that are almost cartoonish. and i don't mean cartoonish pejoratively in this case, but he's like a character whose eyes turn into hearts and explode out of his skull

i think the second side of this album is among his best work. i love how drawn out some of the songs are, you really get him luxuriating in his production, "better love" feels like it could just go on forever to me. i think that's going to be my vote despite how much i love "she wants me back" ... "once you know how" is an amazing closer tho, it's a great thesis statement for the emotions articulated across his discography -- this idea that not only will love one day rightfully find you, but once you experience it you can hold onto it forever. you become a haver of love, it can't be given to you but it also can't be taken away

Sounds to me like a less intense sequel to his classic 1981 album

is his debut album really a classic, or is it just an album w/ two of the greatest R&B songs of all time? i think that's kind of a semantic/academic philosophical argument about how one ranks albums ... i don't put the 81 album on pretty much ever and to me a song like "i've been working" feels like him scratching the surface of songs he would do in much richer and fuller fashion on subsequent albums

this idea that not only will love one day rightfully find you, but once you experience it you can hold onto it forever. you become a haver of love, it can't be given to you but it also can't be taken away

i'm really into this. what a great song. these luther vandross threads are crucial. i'm partial to the less digital sound of this album so far. it's a little more comfortable for me at the onset.

tangential to this thread but i heard "never too much" appear out of nowhere as i stumbled onto franklin square in philadelphia, with the fountains spraying upward in the middle of the square and kids running all over the place - felt like a collision of the best of all possible worlds.

You could poll Luther's closers and come up with a bunch of classics.

is his debut album really a classic, or is it just an album w/ two of the greatest R&B songs of all time?

I think it is? D-40 and I argued about it once. The thing with Luther is, he's superficially superficial. What comes across is slight is his idea of irony: these lacquered surfaces that on first listen register just as surfaces. "I've Been Working" is my album track pick too, but thanks to his vocal choices "Sugar and Spice" turns this dull cliche inside out: a hysterical performance. It's like when I hear Aretha sing "Sweet Sweet Baby) Since You've Been Gone" -- when she's at the mike the cliche turns into a novel expression.

impossible. right now I’m between “once you know how”, “she loves me back”, and “since I lost my baby”

think it’s “once you know how”

better love is fan-tas-tic. you're the sweetest one could get some love, too. bl tho