Dance With My Father - Vandross, Luther (CD 2003)

The world of male r&b vastly improved in the year 2003, point blank. Quality releases poured in from the likes of Javier, Al Green and Anthony Hamilton, reassuring the public that the bling bling soul isn't all there is out there. With the lack of glossy production, banal rapper cameos and oversexed lyrics, these (among others) were beacons of light in the uber foggy labyrinth of r&b. But there was another release that was grouped in with that prestigous trio. It was a release that walked a fine line between possessing the details I just mentioned and being a quality release. Luther Thank You For Helping Me Conceive My Children Vandross, a victim of a stroke in April 2003, released his long awaited for studio album during that summer. As Mr. Vandross lay in the hospital recooperating, his record went plantinum-plus and eventually won him several Grammys.

Tracklisting:
If I Didn't Know Better (****)
Think About You (****)
If It Ain't One Thing featuring Foxy Brown (*** 1/2)
Buy Me A Rose (*****)
The Closer I Get To You featuring Beyonce (*****)
Lovely Day featuring Busta Rhymes (*** 1/2)
Dance With My Father (*****)
She Saw You (****)
Apologize (****)
Hit It Again featuring Queen Latifah (***)
Right In The Middle (**** 1/2)
Once Were Lovers (****)
Lovely Day Part II featuring Busta Rhymes (*** 1/2)
They Said You Needed Me (****)

If I Didn't Know Better is a multi-layered slow burner with the sly hook and trudging keyboard work that complements Luther's presentation and vocal tones quite nicely. The bass is well disguised by the boisterous keyboards and inquisitive hook while the lyrics are well-written with a touch of class and down-to-earth intelligence about them. Think About You is a dreamy, bass heavy throwback to older Luther records; the understated back-up, the sincerity, the outpouring of passion, the romanticism and the lack of production that allows that timeless voice to let loose. He holds some notes on this song that are unthinkable for almost all of today's male r&b stars. Here's a hint at one: Haters wanna hate, lovers wanna love....

If It Ain't One Thing, the playful collabo with my favorite femcee Foxy Brown, is next up and is a really different sound for Luther. With the swinging bassline, fluttery synth work and intense back-up vocals, this is one of the more mainstream tracks present on the record. Foxy's verse is charming, fits well with the rest of the song and is quite short to keep the focus on Luther's tongue-in-cheek performance. This is for those who like a little bit more production in a Luther song, a little bit more of a sing-a-long appeal. One of my favorite songs on the record, the guitar heavy Buy Me A Rose, is also one of the more traditional Luther lay-you-down ballad. With lyrics about having to read a woman's mind to get into her heart, it immediately hits you as being different. Not many ballads can pull off such an upbeat state-of-mind so eloquently and make it sound so perfect. Luther's vocals ooze a humble nice guy-ness while the percussion adds a sort of "VH1 Storytellers" vibe that's very cool to hear his voice interact with.

Next we have two duets on the opposite end of the spectrum. The always wonderful Grammy winning The Closer I Get To You with Beyonce has a slightly longer intro than the version on her record but is just as magical. Lovely Day is the oddest pairing on the record: Luther with hip hop cartoon character Busta Rhymes. The bassline-and-claptrack heavy beat is tolerable (the underlying bass riff gets old fast, though) but doesn't fit Luther's vocal style at all, making his desperation to be considered hip a bit more obvious. The hook is the best part of the song, but that's definitely not saying much on the middle-of-the-road forced track. Busta's verse is a lot like he was on I Know What You Want, more spoken word and narrative than his normal flow. Decent song but just...(sigh)...Part II is just as bland with only a few tweaks from producer Kaygee.

Dance With My Father is that other Grammy winning track from this record and rightfully so. This is one of the most touching, affecting songs I have ever listened to since I began to get into music six years ago. Maybe it's because of my (lack of a) relationship with my father but y'know...The piano heavy, slowly building ballad of loss is easily one of the most genuine songs you'll hear with its buoyant heart-wrenching hook offset by the powerful vocals that find Luther really throwing himself into the song. You sense his fear in some places, his anguish in others, his sorrow in even more. The subtle keyboarding is quite reflective while the track's beauty is in its emotion; everything is so fluid, so well done that you can't help but shed a tear. She Saw You, the clever track of infidelity, is next and picks you up from the emotional rollercoaster of the last track. The slick production is best shown by the intermittent keyboarding and wavering bassline. This track is a carefree, smart banger for all the nice, non-playa types out there.

Apologize is a well disguised song about material possessions and not apologizing for having money. The floaty guitar and introspective synth match the tender percussions so well while the warm back-up is a nice addition. Hit It Again is...interesting. A bit disheartening, but interesting. The vocals are very "just got out of bed" while the production is way too glossy and chunky for my taste. The sound as a whole is much too synth reliant and doesn't let either of the two performers breathe; if it was toned down a notch or two, my opinion of this song would be a bit different. The lyrics are shocking because I considered (and still do consider) Luther one of the classiest artists in recent history and with lines like If I can't double up/ It's like I don't get enough/ Call me greedy if you want, just do it, this isn't the same Luther of years past. Latifah's rhymes are rather entertaining but are completely forgettable and aren't on long enough for a significant impact on the track.

Right in the Middle is a claptrack heavy head bobber with a cute intro and a gospel-esque vibe to it. With the back-up singers popping in at different points (you have to hear some of it), the bass that will get you moving instantly and the intelligent lyrics in the same vein as the slightly dumbed down If It Ain't One Thing, this is a definite winner. Once Were Lovers is a mostly acoustic, slowly rising track and has a subdued tone to just about everything. The vocals are downtrodden by the harmonica solo from Stevie Wonder is pretty cool and picks your mood up as soon as it hits. They Said You Needed Me is another throwback ballad but with the sharp bass and tropical percussion, has enough edge to it to make it a good listen for Luther fans of old and new. This lush ballad with a soft intermittent piano is more upbeat than expected and that works in its favor.

In conclusion, the Luther record is a solid one. Although it has its flaws (and boy does it have its fair amount), Luther's voice carries the material to a much higher rating than it would have received if any other single had done it. While his attempts at being mainstream fall flat mostly, his signature ballads are music to this young r&b fans ears and make me have to recommend it for the simple fact alone.

Great Music To Play While: feeling so close to paradise, buying some a rose to make them shut up, doing the weather with Busta Rhymes, fooling the tricks of time, weeping profusely, having freakin' Stevie Wonder appear on your record, staying in to hit it again...and again....and again, praying for Luther's fast recovery.

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