Laura Branigan (album) explained
Laura Branigan is the sixth studio album by American singer Laura Branigan, released on March 21, 1990, by Atlantic Records. The album's lead single, "Moonlight on Water", reached number 59 on the Billboard Hot 100,[1] while the second single, "Never in a Million Years", peaked at number 22 on Billboard Adult Contemporary chart.[2] The third and final single, a cover version of Vicki Sue Robinson's 1976 song "Turn the Beat Around", failed to chart. The song "Unison" was recorded by Celine Dion the same year.
Critical reception
Billboard Magazine praised the album for its "jaunty, up-tempo dance tunes" but noted that "Branigan still excels at shimmering tear jerker ballads like 'Never in a Million Years' and 'No Promise, No Guarantee'."[3]
In their review of the album, Cashbox noted that "Branigan rolled out some heavyweight producers who are known for delivering the goods," and that "this is one of the most solid efforts she has produced, ranging from the ballads for which she's known to a more conscious effort to court the dance crowd."[4]
Allmusic were much more critical in their review, "short on ideas even with a three-year layoff (they couldn't even think of an album title!), the Laura Branigan brain trust put its faith in drum programs to carry a collection of mediocre originals, a lame cover of Vicki Sue Robinson's dance classic "Turn the Beat Around," and a Bryan Adams castoff. Branigan sang with her usual gusto, but even slick producers like Richard Perry and Peter Wolf couldn't animate the material."[5]
Track listing
Notes
Personnel
Credits adapted from the liner notes of Laura Branigan.[6]
Musicians
- Laura Branigan – lead vocals ; background vocals ; arrangements
- Howie Rice – drum programming, keyboards ; guitar ; synth guitar, percussion
- Andy Goldmark – drum programming, keyboards, background vocals
- Steve Kipner – drum programming
- Michael Dunlap – bass ; keyboards
- Steve Lindsey – keyboards ; drum programming ; synth strings, arrangements ; synthesizer
- James Harrah – lead guitar ; guitar
- Ramsey Embick – synth sax solo ; keyboards, percussion
- Richard Perry – drum programming
- Alfie Silas – background vocals
- Peggi Blu – background vocals
- Jean Johnson – background vocals
- Peter Wolf – arrangements, all instruments except guitars
- Peter Maunu – guitars
- Ina Wolf – background vocals
- Maxi Anderson – background vocals
- Joe Pizzulo – background vocals
- Phillip Ingram – background vocals
- Dorian Holley – background vocals
- Clif Magness – keyboards, drum programming ; guitar
- Steve Goldstein – keyboards ; drum programming
- Brandon Fields – sax
- Kate Markowitz – background vocals
- Donna de Lory – background vocals
- Jeff Porcaro – drums
- Dennis Matkosky – drum programming, keyboards, arrangements
- Larry Klein – bass
- Brenda Russell – background vocals
- Danny Peck – background vocals
- Bill Champlin – background vocals
- Leslie Hall – background vocals
- Khris Kellow – drum programming, synth strings, keyboards, arrangements
- John Robinson – hi-hat
- Aaron Zigman – synth strings, keyboards
- Paulinho da Costa – percussion
- Lenny Castro – percussion
- Mona Lisa Young – background vocals
- Peter Bunetta – arrangements, drum programming, percussion programming, background vocals
- Rick Chudacoff – arrangements, keyboards
- Robbie Buchanan – keyboards
- Dann Huff – guitar
- Leslie Smith – background vocals
- Joey Diggs – background vocals
- Ivory Stone – background vocals
- Patti Henley – background vocals
- Michael Williams – background vocals
- Greg Phillinganes – keyboards
- Francine Howard – background vocals
- Bernadette Barlow – background vocals
- Randy Kerber – piano
- The Pasadena Boys Choir – background vocals
- John Barron – choir direction
Technical
- Richard Perry – production
- Peter Wolf – production
- Laura Branigan – production
- Steve Lindsey – production ; co-production
- Dennis Matkosky – production, engineering assistance
- Peter Bunetta – production
- Rick Chudacoff – production
- Steve Kipner – production
- Clif Magness – production, engineering
- Julie Larson – production coordination
- Ramsey Embick – engineering
- Gabe Veltri – engineering
- Norman (Slam) Whitfield Jr. – engineering ; mixing
- Jess Sutcliffe – engineering
- Paul Ericksen – engineering ; mixing
- Andy Batwinas – engineering assistance
- Eric Anest – engineering assistance ; engineering
- Bill Molina – engineering assistance
- Richard Engstrom – engineering assistance
- Keith Cohen – mixing
- Martin Schmelzel – engineering
- David Schober – engineering
- Ric Butz – engineering assistance
- Carlos Golliher – production coordination
- Richard Cottrell – engineering
- Charlie Pollard – engineering assistance
- John Karpowich – engineering assistance
- Alan Meyerson – mixing
- Guy DeFazio – engineering assistance
- Van Coppock – engineering assistance
- Charlie Brocco – engineering assistance
- Susanne Marie Edgren – production coordination
- Mike Kloster – engineering assistance
- Leon Johnson – recording, engineering
- Marnie Riley – engineering assistance
- Bryan Arnett – engineering assistance
- Russ Ragsdale – engineering assistance
- Steve Egelman – engineering assistance
- Peter Barker – engineering
- Ken Felton – engineering assistance
- Robert Hart – engineering assistance
- Humberto Gatica – mixing
- Gabe Moffat – engineering assistance
- Gail Esposito – production coordination
- Stephen Marcussen – mastering at Precision Lacquer (Hollywood, California)
- Doug Morris – executive production
Artwork
Charts
Notes and References
- Laura Branigan Chart History (Hot 100) . . October 3, 2021.
- Laura Branigan Chart History (Adult Contemporary) . Billboard . October 3, 2021.
- Album Reviews. Billboard Music Week. 7 April 1990 . 80 . December 12, 2023.
- Pop Reviews. Cash Box. 14 April 1962 . 318 . December 12, 2023.
- https://www.allmusic.com/album/laura-branigan-mw0000207836
- Laura Branigan . liner notes . . . 1990 . 7 82086-2.
- Web site: Response from ARIA re: Laura Branigan's ARIA chart history, received December 22, 2017. December 22, 2017. Imgur. Note: The "High Point" number in the "NAT" column represents the release's peak position on the national chart.
- Top 200 Albums . . LIII . 45 . June 2, 1990 . 17 . 0008-7289.
