Patti Austin - Every Home Should Have One (1981)

When I posted about Herbie Hancock's 1982 album, Lite Me Up, I called that album the sequel to Quincy Jones' The Dude. I stand corrected - this Patti Austin album is the sequel to The Dude. That means that this album features Jones' impressive production prowess more so than Austin's vocals. I could see where a critic might say that any vocalist could have recorded this album with Q, but I'm not sure I'm ready to go that far.

After recording 4 jazz albums for Creed Taylor on the CTI label, Austin redirects her talents here to adult contemporary R&B and helps kick off Quincy Jones' fledgling Qwest label.

Rod Temperton (who wrote the best slow jam of all time) penned four of the tracks here and there's plenty of recognizable names in the playing credits: Greg Phillinganes, David Foster, Richard Tee, Bob James, Steve Lukather, Eric Gale, Ralph MacDonald, Ernie Watts, Jerry Hey, etc.

I've read complaints that the CD version contains some edited/remixed tracks, but since I never heard the original vinyl or cassette, I'm blissfully oblivious to any differences. That's good, because such things would irk me to the point of needlessly hindering my listening pleasure.

Press of the time:

• Billboard: "sleek, sophisticated hybrid of pop and r&b "
• CashBox: "a contemporary R&B alchemist's dream"
• Record World: "much anticipated"
• Stereo Review: "I've never heard an album of hers that did not light my inner fire"
• Musician: "pretty much an extension of Quincy's last album, The Dude, and contains the same hits and misses."

Album chart peaks:

• US Billboard Top 200: #36
• Billboard Jazz: #9
• Billboard R&B: #16
• CashBox: #62
• CashBox Jazz: #12
• Rolling Stone: #43

Tracks:

1. Do You Love Me (#24 R&B, #1 Dance): a high-energy album opener, penned by Temperton. Nice work by Lukather - too bad it's covered up in the mix.
2. Love Me To Death: I like the groove, but there's not much melody in the verse and not much of a hook in the call-and-response chorus.
3. The Way I Feel: the verse is very similar to the previous track, but when the chorus first takes off then modulates, it's fantastic.
4. Every Home Should Have One (#62 pop, #55 R&B, #24 AC): I doubt these lyrics would have been written these days (condensed version: every home should have a good woman to take care of her man). Nonetheless, there's some catchy hooks here and Austin is finally allowed to show a little personality.
5. Baby, Come To Me (#1 pop, #9 R&B, #1 AC): a classic duet with James Ingram that topped the charts with a little help from exposure on the soap opera General Hospital. It's Patti's album, but it's Ingram who brings the goods here.
6. The Genie: on the same 12" single with Do You Love Me that reached #1 Dance and the groove and tempo are practically the same, so that makes sense. The bridge is better than the verse is better than the chorus. I keep waiting for the Lukather solo that never happens.
7. Stop, Look, Listen (To Your Heart): written by Thom Bell and Linda Creed, originally released by The Stylistics in 1971. Not as good as the original nor the 1974 cover by Marvin Gaye and Diana Ross, but still a great cover - the material alone makes it one of the better cuts on the album.
8. Symphony of Love: pseudo-reggae filler. Same groove Jones would use for Donna Summer's State Of Independence single the following year.
9. Oh No, Margarita: this song - about a girl who pursues a guy who is no good for her - is more filler, but I'll be damned if the chorus hook is what I find myself singing after I've put the CD away. Great manic solo from Watts.
10. The Island: Brazilian quiet storm from the pen of MPB legend Ivan Lins. Beautiful setting, but it never seems to go anywhere. Odd way to close an album.

Personal Memory Associated with this CD: None. Did I hear this album in 1981? No. Would I have enjoyed it as much then as I do now? Absolutely.

Previously revisited for the blog:
Carry On (1991)

Patti Austin - Carry On (1991)

Patti is in spectacular voice as always, but I question the choice of the material and arrangements.

Lack of vision and focus wastes the talents of these fine musicians. Damn shame.

Album chart peaks:

• US Billboard 200: Did not chart
• Billboard Contemporary Jazz: #13
• Billboard R&B: #75

Tracks:

1. Carry On - The title track is a cover of the 1970 CSN&Y tune and it doesn't do much for me except for the harmonica solo from Terry McMillan (to be fair, the original doesn't do much for me, either).
2. Givin' In To Love - I had hopes because this one was written by Rod Temperton but the New Jack Swing arrangement ain't doing it any favors. Admittedly, I might have felt different about this one if I'd heard it back in '91
3. I Will Remember You - smooth ballad written by Austin, producer David Pack and keyboardist David Benoit. Pleasant, if not particularly memorable, with a nice sax work from Michael Paulo.
4. How Can I Be Sure - a cover of the 1967 Young Rascals hit. In a jazz-waltz setting with synth accordion, this thing somehow works.
5. Why Did She Come In With You - dahell is this? It's not a good R&B tune to start with, but then it quickly veers into novelty territory with Patti rapping (?!?) and more spoken word from Arsenio Hall in character as a cheating lover named Monroe Monroe III. Did they just rhyme "stared at me as" with "quesadillas"?
6. I Just Can't Let Go - ahhhh, finally! Despite the synth bass and drums, I can fully get behind this beautiful ballad with background vocals from Michael McDonald and James Ingram. Best song on the album. Cover of a David Pack tune that reached #13 on the AC chart in 1986.
7. Monday Monday - a cover of the 1966 Mamas and Papas chart-topper. I want to dislike it, but I just can't. Pack's synth-heavy funk-lite of-its-time arrangement works and The Mamas & The Papas contribute background vocals.
8. The More I Think About It - with a background lifted almost directly from Paul Hardcastle's 19, this filler track may be more skippable than track 5. If your track credits include somebody hiding behind the alias "The Riddler," you might have an issue.
9. Nobody To Dance With - this innocuous ballad would be decent filler on most Austin albums, but rises near the top on this one.
10. I'll Be Waiting For You - nice mid-tempo number, thankfully light on the synths. McDonald, Ingram, and Paulo all make welcome returns.
11. (Don't Know) Whether To Laugh Or Cry- this final ballad with a gospel-ish arrangement at the end makes for a good album closer (I say "gospel-ish" rather than "gospel" because the lyrics are secular). Wish it gave Patti a little more opportunity to stretch out.

Personal Memory Associated with this CD: None