Alex Loves... Explained
Alex Loves... |
Type: | Studio album |
Artist: | Alexander O'Neal |
Cover: | Alexloves.jpg |
Border: | yes |
Genre: | Contemporary R&B |
Label: | EMI |
Prev Title: | Live at the Hammersmith Apollo - London |
Prev Year: | 2005 |
Next Year: | 2010 |
Alex Loves... is the eighth studio album by American recording artist Alexander O'Neal. It was originally released in January 2008, on the label EMI as the follow-up to his 2002 album Saga of a Married Man. The album is considered to be a departure from O'Neal's sound, because it consists of cover versions mainly of standard R&B songs, with the exception of the last song "We're On Our Way", which was co-written by O'Neal.
The album was received negatively by the majority of music critics, while other reviewers noted good points to the album. The album peaked at #49 in the UK, and was his first charting album of new material for 6 years.[1]
Critical reception
In a retrospective review, Sharon Mawer of AllMusic gave the album two and a half out of five stars (his poorest star rating) and wrote that "the choice of songs on Alex Loves was rather a strange mixture and most simply didn't work" also adding that "Not an album to recommend except to the die-hard fans who kept his name alive while he was away."
Personnel
Credits are adapted from the album's liner notes.[2]
- "Secret Lovers"
- "A Million Love Songs"
- Andy Whitmore – guitars; keyboards; programming
- Leigh Guest – keyboards; programming
- Nat Augustin – backing vocals
- "Right Here Waiting"
- Edward Stewart – guitars
- Andy Whitmore – keyboards; programming
- Leigh Guest – keyboards; programming
- "Unbreak My Heart"
- Edward Stewart – guitars
- Andy Whitmore – keyboards; programming
- Leigh Guest – keyboards; programming
- James Davies – trumpet
- Angelo Starr – backing vocals
- Nat Augustin – backing vocals
- Fay Jones – backing vocals
- "Your Song"
- Edward Stewart – guitars
- Richard Denapoli – live drums
- Andy Whitmore – keyboards; programming
- Leigh Guest – keyboards; programming
- "Saturday Love"
- Bianca Lindgren – guest vocals; backing vocals
- Edward Stewart – guitars
- Andy Whitmore – keyboards; programming
- Leigh Guest – keyboards; programming
- Nat Augustin – backing vocals
- Angelo Starr – backing vocals
- "If You Were Here Tonight"
- Nat Augustin – guitars; keyboards; programming; backing vocals
- Leigh Guest – keyboards; programming
- Ann Augustin – backing vocals
- "What You Won't Do For Love"
- Nat Augustin – keyboards; programming; trombone; backing vocals
- Leigh Guest – keyboards; programming
- James Davies – trumpet
- Fay Jones – backing vocals
- Angelo Starr – backing vocals
- "When a Man Loves a Woman"
- Andy Whitmore – guitars; keyboards; programming
- Edward Stewart – guitars
- Richard Denapoli – live drums
- Pat Byrne – bass guitar
- Leigh Guest – keyboards; programming
- James Davies – trumpet
- Nat Augustin – backing vocals
- "Babe"
- Andy Whitmore – guitars; keyboards; programming
- Richard Denapoli – live drums
- Leigh Guest – keyboards; programming
- Angelo Starr – backing vocals
- Nat Augustin – backing vocals
- Fay Jones – backing vocals
- "Always & Forever"
- Nat Augustin – guitars; keyboards; programming; backing vocals
- Richard Denapoli – live drums
- Leigh Guest – keyboards; programming
- Ann Augustin – backing vocals
- "You're the First, the Last, My Everything"
- Nat Augustin – guitars; backing vocals
- Edward Stewart – guitars
- Richard Denapoli – live drums
- Pat Byrne – bass guitar
- Leigh Guest – keyboards; programming
- Andy Whitmore – keyboards; programming
- James Davies – trumpet
- Fay Jones – backing vocals
- "Cherish"
- Leigh Guest – keyboards; programming
- Andy Whitmore – keyboards; programming
- Angelo Starr – backing vocals
- Nat Augustin – backing vocals
- "I'll Make Love to You"
- Nigel Lowis – keyboards; programming; string arrangements
- Leigh Guest – keyboards; programming
- Angelo Starr – backing vocals
- Nat Augustin – backing vocals
- "We're On Our Way"
- Nat Augustin – guitars; keyboards; programming; backing vocals
Notes and References
- Web site: UK Charts > Alexander O'Neal . . 2012-05-26 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20120628234447/http://www.officialcharts.com/artist/_/alexander%20o%27neal/ . 2012-06-28 .
- Book: Alex Loves... liner notes. 2008. EMI.