Forever for Always for Love

Also available in a 3-pack with NEVER TOO MUCH and BUSY BODY. Personnel: Luther Vandross (vocals, piano); Doc Powell, Georg Wadenius (guitar); Lawrence Feldman (flute); Nat Adderly, Jr.. (keyboards); Ed Walsh (synthesizer); Marcus Miller (bass); Yogi Horton, Buddy Williams (drums); Ralph MacDonald, Paulinho Da Costa, Sammy Figueroa (percussion); Cissy Houston, Tawatha Agee, Yvonne Lewis, Brenda White, Michelle Cobbs, Phillip Ballou, Norman Jean Wright, Paulette McWilliams, Fonzi Thornton (background vocals). Producer: Luther Vandross. Reissue Producer: Leo Sacks. Recorded at Media Sound, New York, New York. Digitally remastered by Joseph M. Palmaccio (Sony Music Studios, New York, New York). New York City native Luther Vandross did not generate any number one hits with his second effort for the Epic imprint. Nonetheless, he presents another solid album. The smooth crooner has demonstrated a keen ability to attractively arrange remakes with such beauty and suspense as he did with three of the four featured releases. On the vintage ballad "If This World Were Mine," Vandross teams up with Cheryl Lynn. The single peaked at number four on the Billboard R&B charts. He lays his signature on a jammin' medley remake of "Bad Boy/Having a Party. " The chandelier-swinging number stepped in at number three. He concludes with the Temptations' gem "Since I Lost My Baby. " Penned by Smokey Robinson and Warren Moore, this mournful mid-tempo number tipped in at 17. "Promise Me," "Once You Know How," "She Loves Back," and the other selections are supreme compositions. Luther Vandross' dominance of the R&B arena was beginning to surface. - Craig Lytle.