The Reinvention of Gladys Knight & The Pips, Circa 1983
John L. Hughes, Jr. | Nashville, TN | 03/23/2010
(5 out of 5 stars)
"VISIONS is a great lesson on how to make a veteran act current without losing its identity. On the group's third Columbia album, Gladys and the Pips work with Silverspoon Productions, the production company owned by then in-demand r&b producer Leon Sylvers (The Whispers, Shalamar). All of Sylver's trademarks are here from the snappy basslines to the guitar-bass breakdown and synth washes. Yet Sylvers' sound fit the group like a glove because he makes the technology sound warm and inviting, while the Empress of Soul works her magic on such excellent tunes as the #1 R&B hit "Save The Overtime For Me," "When You're Far Away" (an early Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis composition), and the clever ballad "You're #1 In My Book". Gladys, her brother Merald and r&b songwriting legend Sam Dees ("One In A Million You") produced the more subdued moments on VISIONS including one of the first recordings of "Wind Beneath My Wings," "Seconds," and "Don't Make Me Run Away".
This well-deserved gold album is one of the group's best along with IMAGINATION.
"
I'm Still Having Visions Almost 30 Years Later!
S. Sarabia | Portland, ME, USA | 04/14/2010
(5 out of 5 stars)
"This album presented in 1983 with a first single that was infectious and representative of relationships then, that it was impossible to resist. It's also no wonder that this song, "Save the Overtime (For Me,") would eventually top the R&B chart followed by "You're Number One (In My Book") and "Hero," (a gospel-ish remake of "The Wind Beneath My Wings.") Three #1 singles and if I'm not mistaken, a #1 R&B album as well! What more could one ask for? Neither the previous two albums nor the following album would know such an amazing fate, but they WERE critical successes and the band would rebound in 1988 with another #1 hit in the Calloway-produced, "Love Overboard." What is so amazing about Gladys Knight and the Pips is that their music has and always WILL be so extrememly tender and the delivery geared completely toward love, which sadly, is lacking in today's music. That's what has always made them such an endearing entity in the world of R&B. "Visions" would eventually end up going Gold on the strength of the aforementioned hits. And that cover art!...It's so unique and classy! Now if we could only have "Life" on CD! Wouldn't THAT be sumptin' sumpthin'?!"
Track Listings (10) - Disc #1