Real Love (Ashford & Simpson album)

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Real Love
Studio album by
Ashford & Simpson
Released1986
Studio39th Street Music Studios, New York City; Blank Tapes Studios, New York City; Unique Recording, New York City
GenreR&B, soul, pop
LabelCapitol
ProducerAshford & Simpson
Ashford & Simpson chronology
Solid
(1984) 		Real Love
(1986) 		Love or Physical
(1989)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic3/5 stars[1]
Robert ChristgauB[2]
The Encyclopedia of Popular Music3/5 stars[3]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide3/5 stars[4]

Real Love is an album by the American R&B duo Ashford & Simpson, released in 1986 via Capitol Records.[5][6]

The album peaked at No. 74 on the Billboard 200.[7] It was nominated for a Grammy Award, in the "Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal" category.[8]

Production[]

All tracks from the album were written and produced by Ashford & Simpson.[9] Stevie Wonder contributed a harmonica solo to "Nobody Walks in L.A."[10]

Critical reception[]

The Washington Post declared that Ashford & Simpson "haven't lost their knack for knockout hooks, and they have a talent for telling tales to suit the top ten."[9] Robert Christgau wrote that "not even 'Nobody Walks in L.A.', which makes good on its title but is too quirky and local for a single, takes it on home."[2] The Los Angeles Times thought that "Count Your Blessings" possesses "the slick, black adult-contemporary sound that has become Ashford and Simpson’s stock in trade."[11] The Gazette called the album "more seamless songs of love, loss and inspiration from the yuppies of soul."[12]

Track listing[]

All tracks composed by Ashford and Simpson

No.TitleLength
1."Count Your Blessings"4:53
2."Real Love"4:03
3."Nobody Walks in L.A."5:38
4."How Does It Fit"4:08
5."Relations"5:17
6."What Becomes of Love"5:59
7."Way Ahead"4:01
8."10th Round"4:22

Personnel[]

  • Nickolas Ashford - vocals
  • Valerie Simpson - vocals, synthesizer
  • Francisco Centeno - bass
  • Joseph Joubert - synthesizer, arrangements
  • Ivan Hampden - drums
  • Jimmy Simpson - percussion, recording supervisor
  • Vinny Della Rocca - saxophone
  • Ray Simpson, Ullanda McCullough - backing vocals
  • Stevie Wonder - harmonica in "Nobody Walks in L.A."

References[]

  1. ^ "Real Love - Ashford & Simpson | Songs, Reviews, Credits | AllMusic" – via www.allmusic.com.
  2. ^ Jump up to: a b "Robert Christgau: CG: Ashford". www.robertchristgau.com.
  3. ^ Larkin, Colin (2006). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music. Volume 1: MUZE. p. 271.CS1 maint: location (link)
  4. ^ The Rolling Stone Album Guide. Random House. 1992. p. 25.
  5. ^ "At Last, The Secret Is Out". Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. September 20, 1986 – via Google Books.
  6. ^ "Jet's Top 20 Albums". Jet. Johnson Publishing Company. September 22, 1986 – via Google Books.
  7. ^ "Ashford & Simpson". Billboard.
  8. ^ "Ashford And Simpson". GRAMMY.com. November 23, 2020.
  9. ^ Jump up to: a b "'Love' and Marriage". The Washington Post. Retrieved 30 June 2021.
  10. ^ "ASHFORD AND SIMPSON -- DYNAMIC DUO ON THE CHARTS". Orlando Sentinel. Retrieved 30 June 2021.
  11. ^ "R&B'S LOVE COUPLE". Los Angeles Times. August 24, 1986.
  12. ^ Griffin, John (25 Sep 1986). "Ashford and Simpson - REAL LOVE (Capitol)". The Gazette. p. E3.
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