| Positive | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | January 1988 | |||
| Genre | Soul, R&B | |||
| Length | 45:01 | |||
| Label | Elektra | |||
| Producer |
| |||
| Peabo Bryson chronology | ||||
| ||||
Positive is a studio album by the American singer Peabo Bryson, released in January 1988 by Elektra Records.[1][2] The album peaked at number 157 on the US Billboard 200 and number 42 on the Billboard R&B albums chart. It was the last album Bryson recorded for Elektra before he briefly returned to Capitol Records.[3] Positive was supported by the single "Without You", which was also the theme song to Leonard Part 6.[4]
Critical reception
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [3] |
The Kingston Whig-Standard wrote that Bryson's "voice flutters and soars, delicate one moment, powerful the next, duelling with the different instruments."[5] The Washington Post deemed Bryson "a smoothly persuasive soul man, not too pleading, not too aggressive."[4]
Ron Wynn of AllMusic called Positive "largely undistinguished, although [Bryson] sang with more conviction and got better material and production than on most of his other Elektra albums. He scored another hit with a familiar weapon: the duet. This time his partner was Regina Belle."[3]
Track listing
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Come on Over Tonight" | Jimmy Scott |
| 3:47 |
| 2. | "Without You (Love Theme from Leonard Part 6)" (duet with Regina Belle) | Lamont Dozier |
| 5:15 |
| 3. | "Hurt" |
|
| 3:34 |
| 4. | "I Want to Know" | Peabo Bryson |
| 4:28 |
| 5. | "Tonight" | Bryson |
| 4:41 |
| 6. | "Positive" |
|
| 5:02 |
| 7. | "When We Need It Bad" |
|
| 4:58 |
| 8. | "This Time Around" | Bryson |
| 4:29 |
| 9. | "Still Water" | Bryson |
| 4:35 |
| 10. | "Crazy Love" (CD-only track) |
| 4:12 |
Personnel and credits
Musicians
- Peabo Bryson – lead vocals, keyboards (4, 5, 8, 9), arrangements (4, 5, 8, 9)
- Gary Barlough – Synclavier programming (1-3, 6, 7, 10)
- Dean Gant – keyboards (1, 7), Synclavier (1-3, 6, 7, 10), synth bass (1, 7), arrangements (1-3, 6, 7, 10), acoustic piano (2), synthesizers (2-6, 10), BGV arrangements (10)
- Vernon Fails – electric piano (2)
- George Martin – keyboards (4, 5, 8, 9), computer programming (4, 5, 8, 9)
- Dwight W. Watkins – keyboards (4, 5, 8, 9), bass (4, 5, 8, 9), computer programming (4, 5, 8, 9), backing vocals (4, 5, 8, 9), arrangements (4, 5, 8, 9)
- Michael J. Powell – guitars (1-3, 6, 7, 10), arrangements (1-3, 6, 7, 10), BGV arrangements (7, 10)
- Anthony Jackson – bass (2)
- Neil Stubenhaus – bass (3)
- Nathan East – bass (10)
- Vinnie Colaiuta – drums (1, 7, 10)
- Steve Ferrone – drums (2)
- Jonathan Moffett – drums (3)
- Paulinho da Costa – percussion (1, 7, 10)
- Brandon Fields – saxophone solo (1, 6, 7, 10)
- Justo Almario – saxophone solo (3)
- George Del Barrio – string arrangements (2)
- Keni Burke – backing vocals (1, 7, 10), BGV arrangements (1, 7)
- Brenda Jones Williams – backing vocals (1, 4, 5, 7-10)
- Shirley Jones – backing vocals (1, 7, 10)
- Regina Belle – lead vocals (2)
- Jim Gilstrap – backing vocals (2, 6)
- Bunny Hull – backing vocals (2, 6)
- Marva King – backing vocals (2, 6)
- Cindy Mizelle – backing vocals (2), BGV arrangements (2)
- Valerie Pinkston – backing vocals (2, 6)
- Charles Bryson – backing vocals (4, 5, 8, 9)
- Myra Walker – backing vocals (4, 5, 8, 9)
Production
- Dean Gant – producer (1-3, 6, 7, 10)
- Michael J. Powell – producer (1-3, 6, 7, 10)
- Peabo Bryson – producer (4, 5, 8, 9)
- Dwight W. Watkins – producer (4, 5, 8, 9)
- Barney Perkins – engineer (1-3, 6, 7, 10), recording (2-6, 8, 9), mixing (2-6, 8, 9)
- Greg Townley – additional recording (1, 7, 10)
- Tom Wright – additional recording (1, 7, 10), recording (4, 5, 8, 9)
- Fred Law – additional recording (2, 3, 6)
- Keith Seppenen – additional recording (2, 3, 6)
- Milton Chan – assistant engineer (1-3, 6, 7, 10)
- Andy Harper – assistant engineer (1, 7, 10)
- Elliott Peters – assistant engineer (1-3, 6, 7, 10)
- Andrew Spiegelman – assistant engineer (2, 3, 6)
- Gerard Smerek – assistant engineer (2, 3, 6)
- Tom Kidd – recording (4, 5, 8, 9)
- Barry Leff – assistant engineer (4, 5, 8, 9)
- Steve McCormick – assistant engineer (4, 5, 8, 9)
- Lewis Padgett – assistant engineer (4, 5, 8, 9)
- Bernie Grundman – mastering
- Carol Bobolts – art direction, design
- Gilles Larrain – photography
Studios
- Recorded at Cheshire Sound Studios (Atlanta, Georgia); Ambience Recorders (Farmington Hills, Michigan); Yamaha R & D Studio (Glendale, California); Electric Lady Studios (New York City, New York).
- Mixed at Yamaha R & D Studio.
- Mastered at Bernie Grundman Mastering (Hollywood, California).
Charts
| Chart (1988) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| US Billboard 200[6] | 157 |
| US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard)[7] | 42 |
References
- ^ Heim, Chris (4 Mar 1988). "Peabo Bryson, Positive". Friday. Chicago Tribune. p. 55.
- ^ Hiltbrand, David (Apr 18, 1988). "Song". People. 29 (15): 22.
- ^ a b c Wynn, Ron. "Positive". AllMusic. Retrieved April 29, 2021.
- ^ a b Brown, Joe (25 Mar 1988). "Ballads Make a Better Bryson". The Washington Post. p. N19.
- ^ Burliuk, Greg (12 Mar 1988). "Positive Peabo Bryson". Magazine. The Kingston Whig-Standard. p. 1.
- ^ "Peabo Bryson Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved January 26, 2021.
- ^ "Peabo Bryson Chart History (Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved January 26, 2021.
This page was last edited on 13 March 2024, at 05:20