Alex Loves... | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Studio album by | ||||
Released | January 28, 2008 | |||
Studio | ||||
Genre | Contemporary R&B | |||
Length | 1:01:24 | |||
Label | EMI | |||
Producer |
| |||
Alexander O'Neal chronology | ||||
|
Review scores | |
---|---|
Source | Rating |
AllMusic | [1] |
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. [2]
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." [1]
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|
1. | "Secret Lovers" (Atlantic Starr cover from the album As the Band Turns ) |
| 4:28 |
2. | "A Million Love Songs" (Take That cover from the album Take That & Party ) | Gary Barlow | 3:24 |
3. | "Right Here Waiting" (Richard Marx cover from the album Repeat Offender ) | Richard Marx | 4:06 |
4. | "Unbreak My Heart" (Toni Braxton cover from the album Secrets ) | Diane Warren | 4:28 |
5. | "Your Song" (Elton John cover from the album Elton John ) | 4:01 | |
6. | "Saturday Love" (Remake; originally on the Cherrelle album High Priority ) | 5:01 | |
7. | "If You Were Here Tonight" (Remake; originally on the album Alexander O'Neal ) | Monte Moir | 5:02 |
8. | "What You Won't Do For Love" (Bobby Caldwell cover from the album Bobby Caldwell ) |
| 3:46 |
9. | "When a Man Loves a Woman" (Percy Sledge cover from the album When a Man Loves a Woman) |
| 3:03 |
10. | "Babe" (Styx cover from the album Cornerstone ) | Dennis DeYoung | 3:57 |
11. | "Always & Forever" (Heatwave cover from the album Too Hot to Handle ) | Rod Temperton | 4:38 |
12. | "You're My First, My Last, My Everything" (Barry White cover from the album Can't Get Enough ) |
| 4:01 |
13. | "Cherish" (Kool & the Gang cover from the album Emergency ) |
| 4:02 |
14. | "I'll Make Love to You" (Boyz II Men cover from the album II ) | Babyface | 3:27 |
15. | "We're On Our Way" |
| 4:00 |
Total length: | 1:01:24 |
Credits are adapted from the album's liner notes. [3]
|
|
Chart | Peak position |
---|---|
UK Albums Chart [2] | 49 |
Alexander O'Neal is an American R&B singer, songwriter and arranger from Natchez, Mississippi.
Tabu Productions was an American record label founded by Clarence Avant in 1975. The label, Tabu Records, focused on R&B and funk.
"Creep" is the debut single by the English rock band Radiohead, released on 21 September 1992. It appeared on their debut studio album, Pablo Honey (1993). Radiohead took elements from the 1972 song "The Air That I Breathe"; following legal action, Albert Hammond and Mike Hazlewood are credited as cowriters.
"On a Night Like This" is a song recorded by Australian recording artist Kylie Minogue. It was released on 11 September 2000 by Parlophone as the second single for her seventh studio album, Light Years (2000), and distributed in various formats. The track was originally recorded by Swedish singer Pandora and written by Steve Torch, Brian Rawling, Graham Stack, and Mark Taylor, while production was handled by the latter two, it was handed to Minogue to record. Musically, "On a Night Like This" is a Europop, dance-pop and house song that also incorporates elements of disco. Its lyrical content delves into experiencing unique, possibly sexual experiences during the night.
"What Hurts the Most" is a song written by American songwriter Jeffrey Steele and English songwriter Steve Robson. Initially recorded by country music artist Mark Wills in 2003 on his album And the Crowd Goes Wild, it was covered by Bellefire a year later. The first version to be released as a single was by pop singer Jo O'Meara in 2005, from the album Relentless. Later that year, country band Rascal Flatts covered the song as well, releasing it as the first single from the 2006 album Me and My Gang, topping the U.S country and adult contemporary charts with it. German band Cascada later had international chart success with the song in 2007. It was also covered by Eden in 2008.
"When You Tell Me That You Love Me" is a song by American singer Diana Ross, released on August 20, 1991 as the lead single from her nineteenth studio album, The Force Behind the Power (1991). The song was released on the Motown label in the United States and by EMI Records in the United Kingdom. It was written by Albert Hammond and John Bettis, and produced by Peter Asher. A sentimental ballad, it became the album's biggest hit, peaking at number 37 on the US Billboard R&B singles chart and number two on the UK Singles Chart. Ross considers it one of her signature songs and it was subsequently covered by various artists. The UK release of "When You Tell Me That You Love Me" included her 1985 hit "Chain Reaction".
Picture of You is the debut studio album by English singer-songwriter Ben Mills, who finished in third place on the third series of The X Factor in December 2006. The album was released on 12 March 2007 and entered the UK Albums Chart at number three with first week sales of 63,342, before dropping to number 14 the following week.
Hearsay is the second solo studio album by American recording artist Alexander O'Neal. It was originally released in July 1987, on the labels Tabu and Epic as the follow-up to O'Neal's critically and commercially successful 1985 album Alexander O'Neal. Hearsay explores similar genres to those of Alexander O'Neal including pop, R&B, soul, post-disco, funk, and adult contemporary music, while also incorporating a newer genre, new jack swing. The songs were recorded from 1986 to 1987 in sessions that took place at Flyte Time Productions, Inc. Studio A & B in Minneapolis, Minnesota, assisted by R&B songwriting and record production team Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis. It features contributions from guest musicians, including Cherrelle, David Eiland, and Lisa Keith, and is generally regarded as the culmination of the smoother, more adult-oriented sound of O'Neal's early work.
"Saturday Love" is a song performed by American R&B singers Cherrelle and Alexander O'Neal. It was released in October 1985. The song peaked at #2 on the US R&B chart and became a moderate pop hit peaking at #26 on the US Hot 100 in the spring of 1986. It reached #6 on the UK singles chart, and #7 on the Irish Singles Chart. The song appeared on Cherrelle's gold album, High Priority, on Tabu Records and included an extended spoken dialogue introduction skit set in a bar.
"Never Knew Love Like This" is a top ten US R&B hit, and a top ten UK hit song duetted by American R&B singers Cherrelle and Alexander O'Neal; released in 1988. The song peaked at #2 in the US R&B chart, #26 in the UK and #28 in the Billboard Hot 100.
"The Lovers" is a song written by Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis and recorded by American recording artist Alexander O'Neal. It is the fourth single from the singer's second solo album, Hearsay (1987). The song's distinctive backing vocals were performed by Cherrelle and Lisa Keith. Following the successful chart performances of the Hearsay singles "Fake", "Criticize", and "Never Knew Love Like This", "The Lovers" was released as the album's fourth single.
"(What Can I Say) To Make You Love Me" is a song written by Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis and recorded by American recording artist Alexander O'Neal. It is the fifth single from the singer's second solo album, Hearsay (1987). The song's distinctive backing vocals were performed by Lisa Keith. Following the successful chart performances of the Hearsay singles "Fake", "Criticize", "Never Knew Love Like This", and "The Lovers", "(What Can I Say) To Make You Love Me" was released as the album's fifth single.
"Fake" is a song written by Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis and recorded by American recording artist Alexander O'Neal. It is the first single from the O'Neal's second studio album, Hearsay (1987). It is one of the artist's most recognizable signature songs, and a favorite of many O'Neal fans worldwide.
Alexander O'Neal is the debut solo studio album by American recording artist Alexander O'Neal. It was originally released in 1985 by Tabu and Epic. The songs were recorded during 1984 to 1985 in sessions that took place at Creation Audio in Minnesota, and Larrabee Sound in Los Angeles, California, assisted by R&B songwriting and record production team Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis.
All True Man is the fourth studio album by American recording artist Alexander O'Neal. The album was a success in the UK, peaking at number 2, though sales did not reach the levels of his previous album, Hearsay.
Love Makes No Sense is the fifth studio album by American recording artist Alexander O'Neal. The album was O'Neal's final release for Tabu, and his first album made without formal production from Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis.
"What Is This Thing Called Love?" is a song written by Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis and recorded by American recording artist Alexander O'Neal. It is the second single from the singer's fourth solo album, All True Man (1991). The song's distinctive backing vocals were performed by Lisa Keith. Following the successful chart performances of the All True Man single "All True Man", "What Is This Thing Called Love?" was released as the album's second single.
"Love Makes No Sense" is a song written by Tony Tolbert and Lance Alexander and recorded by American recording artist Alexander O'Neal. It is the first single from the singer's fifth solo album, Love Makes No Sense (1993).
"In the Middle" is a song written by Terry Coffey and Jon Nettlesbey and recorded by American recording artist Alexander O'Neal. It is the second single from his fifth studio album, Love Makes No Sense (1993). The song's distinctive backing vocals were performed by Cherrelle. Following the successful chart performances of the single "Love Makes No Sense", "In the Middle" was released as the album's second single.
"All That Matters to Me" is a song written by Franne Golde and Allee Willis and recorded by American recording artist Alexander O'Neal. It is the fourth single from the singer's fifth solo album, Love Makes No Sense (1993). Following the successful chart performances of the Love Makes No Sense single "Love Makes No Sense", "In the Middle", and "Aphrodisia", "All That Matters to Me" was released as the album's fourth single.