Any Love (album)

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Any Love
Studio album by
Luther Vandross
ReleasedSeptember 20, 1988
RecordedDecember 1987–June 1988
StudioA&M Studios
(Hollywood, Los Angeles, California)
Right Track Recording
(New York City, New York)
GenreR&B
Length47:37
LabelEpic
Producer
Luther Vandross chronology
Give Me the Reason
(1986) 		Any Love
(1988) 		The Best of Luther Vandross... The Best of Love
(1989)
Singles from Any Love
  1. "Any Love"
    Released: August 1, 1988
  2. "She Won't Talk to Me"
    Released: November 1, 1988
  3. "For You to Love"
    Released: February 1, 1989

Any Love is the sixth studio album by American singer Luther Vandross. It was released by Epic Records on September 20, 1988, in the United States. Produced by Vandross and Marcus Miller, the album features a cover of Major Harris' hit single "Love Won't Let Me Wait" as well as "The Second Time Around," a re-recording of a song featured on Vandross's band Luther's 1976 album of the same name.

The album reached at number nine on the US Billboard 200 and peaked at number three on the UK Albums Chart, also reaching the top position on the US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums. It was eventually certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) and silver by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI). At the 1989 Grammy Awards, Any Love was nominated for Best R&B Vocal Performance, Male, while its title track was nominated for Best R&B Song. Also, "She Won't Talk to Me" received a nomination for Best R&B Vocal Performance, Male in 1990.

Critical reception[edit]

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[1]
Chicago Tribune[2]
Robert ChristgauB−[4]
Los Angeles Times[3]
Rolling Stone[5]

AllMusic editor Ron Wynn noted that while "there were some who felt that Vandross suffered a slight slump when this album only reached the platinum level after two consecutive double-platinum winners, [...] "Here And Now" was a huge smash, and by now the pop crowd was fully aware of Vandross' vocal charms and allure. "She Won't Talk To Me" was a bit on the posturing side, but still managed to do decently, while there were also fine album cuts like "I Wonder" and "Are You Gonna Love Me."."[1] Connie Johnson from the Los Angeles Times wrote that "Vandross’ music never touches on the global, political concerns of Stevie Wonder’s, but Vandross travels across the emotional terrain of the heart in a way that has made him as major a talent. What you get in his music are elements of sadness, loneliness and sensitivity that few other male vocal stylists of the day express as convincingly."[3] Rolling Stone critic Rob Hoerburger felt that "there’s no question that Any Love is as masterful an album as Vandross has made; it’s probably only likable, though, for those who get off on severe bouts of melancholia."[5]

Track listing[edit]

All tracks produced by Luther Vandross and Marcus Miller.[6]

Side One
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."I Wonder"
5:12
2."She Won't Talk to Me"
4:37
3."I Know You Want to"
4:30
4."Come Back"
  • Vandross
  • Gamson
4:16
5."Any Love"
5:05
Side Two
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
6."Love Won't Let Me Wait"
7:19
7."Are You Gonna Love Me"
  • Vandross
  • Miller
5:10
8."For You to Love"
  • Vandross
  • Miller
5:39
9."The Second Time Around"Vandross6:21

Personnel[edit]

Credits adapted from the album's liner notes.[6]

Performers and musicians

  • Luther Vandross – lead vocals (1-9), backing vocals (1, 4, 5, 7), arrangements (8)
  • Nat Adderley Jr. – keyboards (1, 6, 9), synthesizers (1, 6, 9), arrangements (1, 6), drum programming (6)
  • Marcus Miller – synthesizers (1-5, 7, 8), keyboards (2, 4, 5, 7, 8), bass (2, 4-9), arrangements (2-5, 7, 8), drum programming (6)
  • Jason Miles – programming (1-9)
  • David Gamson – keyboards (3, 4), synthesizers (3, 4), arrangements (3, 4)
  • Paul Jackson Jr. – guitar (1-9)
  • Doc Powell – guitar (6)
  • Buddy Williams – drums (1-4, 6-9)
  • Paulinho da Costa – percussion (1-4, 6, 7, 8)
  • Amy Knoles – timpani (6)
  • Kirk Whalum – soprano saxophone (6)
  • George Young – soprano saxophone (9)
  • Hubert Eaves III – arrangements (2)
  • Paul Riser – arrangements (9)
  • Alfred Brown – music contractor (9)
  • Lisa Fischer – backing vocals (1-4, 6, 7, 9)
  • James Ingram – backing vocals (1)
  • David Lasley – backing vocals (1)
  • Michael Lovesmith – backing vocals (1, 2)
  • Kevin Owens – backing vocals (1, 2, 4, 7)
  • Mark Stevens – backing vocals (1, 2)
  • Darryl Tookes – backing vocals (1)
  • Tawatha Agee – backing vocals (2, 3, 4, 7)
  • Cissy Houston – backing vocals (2, 3, 4, 6, 7)
  • Paulette McWilliams – backing vocals (2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 9)
  • Fonzi Thornton – backing vocals (2, 4, 7)
  • Brenda White King – backing vocals (2, 3, 4, 6, 7)
  • Michelle Cobbs – backing vocals (4)
  • Anthony Hinton – backing vocals (9)
  • Theresa V. Reed – backing vocals (9)
  • Diane Sumler – backing vocals (9)
  • Christine Wiltshire – backing vocals (9)

Horns on "The Second Time Around"

Technical

  • Marcus Miller – producer
  • Luther Vandross – producer, vocal arrangements
  • Ray Bardani – engineer, mixing
  • Denise Brown – additional engineer
  • Brendan Fenton – additional engineer
  • Mary Frengen – additional engineer
  • Micah Goldberg – additional engineer
  • Peter Grammatico – additional engineer
  • Michael White – additional engineer
  • Debi Cornish – assistant engineer
  • Marc DeSisto – mix assistant
  • Fred Bova – technician
  • Michael Morengell – technician
  • Gary Myerberg – technician
  • Greg Calbi – mastering at Sterling Sound (New York, NY).
  • Fonzi Thornton – vocal contractor
  • Marsha K. Burns – production coordinator
  • Elijah Reeder – personal assistance
  • George Corsillo – art direction, design
  • Matthew Rolston – photography

Charts[edit]

Certifications[edit]

Region Certification Certified units/sales
United Kingdom (BPI)[13] Silver 60,000^
United States (RIAA)[14] Platinum 1,000,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b AllMusic review
  2. ^ Chicago Tribune review
  3. ^ a b Johnson, Connie (October 2, 1988). "Luscious, Lonely Luther". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved November 14, 2020.
  4. ^ Robert Christgau Consumer Guide
  5. ^ a b Hoerburger, Rob (January 12, 1989). "Any Love". Rolling Stone. Retrieved November 14, 2020.
  6. ^ a b Any Love (booklet). Epic Records. 1988.
  7. ^ "Bubbling Down Under Week Commencing July 8, 1991". bubblingdownunder.com. Retrieved July 9, 2022.
  8. ^ "Charts.nz – Luther Vandross – Any Love". Hung Medien. Retrieved August 20, 2018.
  9. ^ "Luther Vandross | Artist | Official Charts". UK Albums Chart. Retrieved August 20, 2018.
  10. ^ "Luther Vandross Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved August 20, 2018.
  11. ^ "Luther Vandross Chart History (Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved August 20, 2018.
  12. ^ "R&B/Hip-Hop Albums: Year End 1989". Billboard. Retrieved August 20, 2018.
  13. ^ "British album certifications – Luther Vandross – Any Love". British Phonographic Industry.
  14. ^ "American album certifications – Luther Vandross – Any Love". Recording Industry Association of America.
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