Angela Bofill
enjoyed surprising commercial success with her first two albums,
Angie
and
Angel of the Night
, produced by
contemporary jazz
executives
Dave Grusin
Larry Rosen
for their
GRP
label, distributed by
Arista
. She then jumped to
proper (causing some bad blood with
) to try for a deliberate
jazz-pop
crossover on her third album, which was produced by
Narada Michael Walden
and shepherded by
president
Clive Davis
, who took an executive producer credit.
Davis
canvassed the publishing world for likely hit songs, then
Walden
put together a studio team to create a smooth, sophisticated sound that would, it was hoped, work for
pop
,
R&B
, and
adult contemporary
radio as well as setting feet moving in the discos. In practice, it didn't work out that way. The title track, with a lush
disco
arrangement, arrived as a single after
had faded, though it, like second single
"Holdin' Out for Love,"
a professional song by professional songwriters
Cynthia Weil
Tom Snow
, managed to peak in the
Top 40. With those calling cards, the album was able to register only a Top 20
/Top 100
showing, not as high as
, as
Bofill
's
fans deserted her in droves for her commercial sellout. This is a shame, since, however compromised its goals, much of
Something About You
is effective early-'80s
sings powerfully throughout. Particularly impressive are the
ballads
"Break It to Me Gently"
"Time to Say Goodbye."
~ William Ruhlmann