Carasmatic

Carasmatic
Studio album by Irene Cara
Released	January 9th 1987
Studio	Ocean Way, Hollywood Gate Way, Santa Barbara Cherokee, Los Angeles Altadena Sound, Altadena Le Gonks West, Los Angeles Sunset Sound, Los Angeles Westlake, Los Angeles Village Recorder, Los Angeles CBS Songs, New York City Soundcastle, Los Angeles Moonee Ponds Studios, Malibu Lion Share, Los Angeles Metropolis, Studio City Nimbus 9, New York City
Genre	Pop rock, soft rock
Length	39:56
Label	Elektra
Producer	Irene Cara, George Duke, George Johnson, John Farrar, Bill Seidman
Irene Cara chronology
What a Feelin' (1983) Carasmatic (1987) Irene Cara Presents Hot Caramel (2011)
Singles from Carasmatic
"Girlfriends"/"Dying for Your Love" Released: February 1987 "Give Me Love" Released: March 1987

Carasmatic is Irene Cara's third and final studio album (and fourth album overall when counting Esta es Irene in 1967) released in 1987. It was her only album for Elektra Records. The album was mostly produced by George Duke. Many popular musicians also contributed to this album such as Luther Vandross, Lynn Davis, James Ingram, Patrice Rushen, Kenny Loggins, Bonnie Raitt, Carole King, John Farrar and Michael Bolton.

The album was not successful as What a Feelin', and did not chart on the Billboard 200, as the lead single "Girlfriends" failed to chart in the Hot 100 and received mixed reviews.

Critical reviews

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[1]

Billboard called the album a "mixed bag of top 40 fare with mixed results, despite presence of all-star supporters, including Brothers Johnson, Luther Vandross, and Bonnie Raitt." However they singled out the track "Don't Wanna Let Go" as Cara's "best shot." ^[2]

AllMusic noted that "the material here lacks the vocal and musical conviction of her first two albums...with only halfway decent songs, limited production, and Cara vocally not up to par, this album will only be of interest to the true Cara conoisseur." ^[3]

However, Cash Box was more complimentary in their review, noting that "Cara checks in with a sizzling collection of grooving tunes. She uses an all-star cast of producers and players to give the record its sparkling shine." ^[4]

Track listing

1. "Get a Grip" (Debbie Johnson, George Johnson, Cara) – 4:58
2. "Give Me Love" (Michael Bolton, Patrick Henderson) – 3:58
3. "We're Gonna Get Up" (Danny Sembello, David Batteau) – 4:42
4. "Now That It's Over" (Doug James, Bolton) – 4:20
5. "Say Goodnight Irene" (Cara, John Farrar) – 4:38
6. "Don't Wanna Let Go" (James, Bolton) – 3:32
7. "Girlfriends" (Gordon Grody, Cara) – 4:14
8. "Be Your Number One" (Gerald Tillman, Harold Allen Jr., Yolanda "Yo-Yo" Smith) – 5:31
9. "Falling in Love" (Bill Seidman) – 4:03

Personnel

• Irene Cara – lead vocals, backing vocals (1, 5, 8), acoustic piano (1), additional backing vocals (2), additional backing vocal solo (3), Synclavier (5, 7), Yamaha DX7 solo (5), arrangements (7), BGV arrangements (8)
• George Johnson – keyboards (1), synth bass (1), guitars (1, 8), guitar solo (1), bass guitar (1), arrangements (1, 8), additional backing vocal solo (3)
• Steve Robbins – synthesizer solo (1), Synclavier piano (7), synthesizers (7), Fender Rhodes (9), Minimoog (9), Oberheim OB-Xa (9)
• George Duke – acoustic piano (2), Prophet-5 (2, 4, 6), Synclavier (2, 6, 7), Memorymoog (2, 4, 6), Linn 9000 (2), arrangements (2, 3, 4, 6), Yamaha TX816 (4), Yamaha DX7 (6), LinnDrum (6)
• Danny Sembello – Yamaha DX7 (3), Roland JX-8P (3), Linn 9000 (3)
• Randy Kerber – acoustic piano (4), Yamaha DX7 (4)
• John Farrar – Synclavier (5), Yamaha TX816 horns (5), vocoder (5), guitar (5), backing vocal solo (5)
• Marcus Ryle – Oberheim Matrix-12 (5), Kurzweil K250 (5), Synclavier (5)
• Patrice Rushen – keyboards (8), synth bass (8)
• Frank Owens – acoustic piano (9)
• Paul Jackson, Jr. – guitars (2, 4, 6, 7)
• Freddie Washington – bass guitar (4)
• Louis Johnson – bass guitar (8)
• Harvey Mason – drums (1), Simmons tom fills (1)
• John Robinson – drums (2), Simmons tom fills (3, 6)
• Jim Keltner – drums (5)
• Harold Allen – drum sequencing (8)
• Paulinho da Costa – percussion (3)
• David Diggs – horn arrangements (1, 2)
• George Del Barrio – string arrangements (4)
• Gordon Grody – co-arrangements (7)
• Bill Seidman – arrangements (9)
• Charlotte Crossley – backing vocals (1, 6, 7), additional backing vocals (8)
• Jo Ann Harris – backing vocals (1)
• David Lasley – backing vocals (1, 6)
• Paulette McWilliams – backing vocals (1)
• Luther Vandross – backing vocals (1), BGV arrangements (1)
• Terry Bradford – backing vocals (2, 3)
• Daryl Carpenter – additional backing vocals (2), backing vocal solo (8)
• Patrick Henderson – backing vocals (2, 3)
• Jacquelyn Gouche – backing vocals (2, 3)
• Joel Osborne – additional backing vocals (2)
• Sybil Thomas – additional backing vocals (2)
• Fred White – backing vocals (2, 3)
• Elisecia Wright – backing vocals (2, 3)
• Lynn Davis – backing vocals (6)
• Joyce Kennedy – backing vocals (7), group vocals (8)
• Carole King – backing vocals (7)
• Bonnie Raitt – backing vocals (7)
• Wanda Vaughn – backing vocals (7)
• Syreeta Wright – backing vocals (7)
• Pat McKenna – additional backing vocals (8)
• Yolanda Smith – additional backing vocals (8)
• Jim Gilstrap – group vocals (8)
• James Ingram – group vocals (8)

Production

• George Johnson – producer (1, 8), engineer (8)
• Irene Cara – co-producer (1, 9), executive producer
• George Duke – producer (2, 3, 4, 6, 7)
• John Farrar – producer (5)
• Bill Seidman – producer (9)
• John Pace – engineer (1)
• Erik Zobler – engineer (2, 3, 4, 6)
• Allen Sides – engineer (5), mixing (5)
• Tim Wilson – engineer (5)
• Paul McKenna – engineer (8)
• Michael Barbiero – mixing (1, 6, 7, 8), mix supervision (8)
• Tommy Vicari – mixing (2), string recording (4), engineer (7)
• Michael Brauer – mixing (3, 4, 9)
• Steve Thompson – mixing (6, 7, 8), mix supervision (8)
• Dave Easton – assistant engineer (1)
• Mitch Gibson – assistant engineer (3, 4, 6)
• Brian Gardner – LP mastering
• Stephen Innocenzi – CD mastering
• Bob Defrin – art direction, design
• Antonio Lopez – cover artwork
• Jeff Tomberg – management

Studios

• Recorded at Ocean Way Recording, Sunset Sound and LeGonks West (Hollywood, CA); Westlake Studios, Cherokee Studios, Lion Share Recording Studios and The Village Recorder (Los Angeles, CA); Gate Way (Santa Barbara, CA); Altadena Sound (Altadena, CA); Moonee Ponds Studios (Malibu, CA); Metropolis (Studio City, CA); Nimbus 9 (New York City, NY).
• Mixed at Mediasound (New York City, NY); Lion Share Recording Studios and Record Plant (Los Angeles, CA).

References

1. Irene Cara– Carasmatic: Reviews at AllMusic. Retrieved January 22, 2025.
2. "Album Reviews" (PDF). Billboard Magazine. No. 30 May 1987. p. 78. Retrieved September 2, 2023.
3. "Carasmatic - Irene Cara | Album | AllMusic". AllMusic .
4. "Album Releases" (PDF). Cash Box. No. 25 April 1987. p. 8. Retrieved February 15, 2024.

External links

• Carasmatic at AllMusic