Brilliance (Atlantic Starr album)

Brilliance
Studio album by Atlantic Starr
Released	March 4, 1982
Recorded	1981
Studio	Sigma Sound, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Motown Recording Studios, Los Angeles, California Kendun Recorders, Burbank, California
Genre	R&B
Label	A&M
Producer	James Anthony Carmichael
Atlantic Starr chronology
Radiant (1981) Brilliance (1982) Yours Forever (1983)
Singles from Brilliance
"Circles" Released: 1982

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic	[1]

Brilliance is the fourth studio album by Atlantic Starr, released in March 1982 on A&M Records. ^[2] This album peaked at No. 1 on the US Billboard Top Soul Albums chart and No. 18 on the US Top LPs and Tape chart. ^{[3] [4]}

Background

This album featured hit singles "Love Me Down" and "Circles". The album also contained the Sam Dees composition "Your Love Finally Ran Out", which was previously recorded by their then labelmate Les McCann under the title "So Your Love Finally Ran Out For Me" on his 1979 album Tall, Dark & Handsome.

Critical reception

AllMusic's Alex Henderson, in a 4.5 star review, remarked "Released in 1982, Brilliance was the second of three albums that Carmichael produced for Atlantic Starr -- and it is also one of the band's finest and most essential releases. There is nothing not to like about this LP." ^[1]

Track listing

1. "Love Me Down" (David Lewis, Wayne Lewis) - 4:50
2. "Sexy Dancer" (David Lewis, Wayne Lewis) - 4:51
3. "Love Moves" (Wayne Lewis) - 5:00
4. "Your Love Finally Ran Out" (Sam Dees) - 4:47
5. "Circles" (David Lewis, Wayne Lewis) - 4:52
6. "Let's Get Closer" (Harold Johnson) - 5:23
7. "Perfect Love" (Greg Phillinganes, Allee Willis) - 4:39
8. "You're the One" (David Cochrane, Deborah Thomas) - 4:12

Personnel

Atlantic Starr

• Sharon Bryant – lead vocals (1, 5, 8), backing vocals
• Wayne Lewis – keyboards, backing vocals, lead vocals (2, 3, 4)
• David Lewis – guitars, backing vocals, lead vocals (6, 7)
• Clifford Archer – bass guitar
• Porter Carroll, Jr. – drums, backing vocals
• Joseph Phillips – percussion
• Koran Daniels – saxophone
• Damon Rentie – tenor saxophone
• Jonathan Lewis – trombone
• Duke Jones – trumpet, flugelhorn
• William Sudderth III – trumpet

Additional Musicians

• David Cochrane – guitars
• Greg Phillinganes – Fender Rhodes (7), Minimoog bass (7)

Arrangements

• James Anthony Carmichael (1–8)
• David Lewis (1, 2, 5)
• Wayne Lewis (1, 2, 3, 5)
• Atlantic Starr (4, 6, 7, 8)

Production

• James Anthony Carmichael – producer
• Calvin Harris – engineer, mixing
• Jane Clark – additional engineer
• Dan Bates – assistant engineer
• John Convertino – assistant engineer
• Fred Law – assistant engineer
• Bernie Grundman – mastering
• Chuck Beeson – art direction
• Lynn Robb – design
• Diem Jones – front cover photography
• Michelle Armitage – front cover photo assistant
• Mike Shaw – back cover photography
• Rod Taylor – sleeve photography
• Earl Cole – management

Studios

• Recorded at Sigma Sound Studios (Philadelphia, PA); Motown Recording Studios (Los Angeles, CA); Kendun Recorders (Burbank, CA).
• Mixed at Motown Recording Studios
• Mastered at A&M Studios (Hollywood, CA).

Charts

Weekly charts Chart (1982) Peak position US Billboard Top LPs and Tape 18 [3] US Billboard Top Soul Albums 1 [4]

Year-end charts Chart (1982) Position US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard) [5] 7

References

1. Henderson, Alex. "Atlantic Starr - Brillance". AllMusic . Retrieved September 10, 2025.
2. Atlantic Starr - Brillance (album). A&M Records.
3. "Billboard Top LPs and Tape" (PDF). Billboard. May 29, 1982. p. 69. Retrieved September 10, 2025– via worldradiohistory.com.
4. "Billboard Soul LPs" (PDF). Billboard. May 8, 1982. p. 53. Retrieved September 10, 2025– via worldradiohistory.com.
5. "Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums – Year-End 1982". Billboard. Retrieved April 11, 2021.