| More Than Friends | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 1988 | |||
| Studio | Battery (London, England)
| |||
| Genre | Pop, jazz | |||
| Label | Jive [1] | |||
| Producer | Barry Eastmond, Loris Holland, Timmy Allen, Teddy Riley | |||
| Jonathan Butler chronology | ||||
| ||||
More Than Friends is an album by the South African musician Jonathan Butler, released in 1988. [2] [3] The title track was released as a single. [4]
The album peaked at No. 113 on the Billboard 200. [5] Butler supported the album by touring with Najee and Angela Bofill. [6]
Butler made it a point to avoid writing about South Africa and its politics. [7] He added elements of hip hop to his sound on More Than Friends; "True Love Never Fails", a duet with Vanessa Bell Armstrong, incorporated gospel influences. [8] [9] [10] Butler did not feel like he was abandoning jazz so much as becoming more aware of popular music styles. [11] "Sekona" is an instrumental. [12]
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [13] |
| The Encyclopedia of Popular Music | [14] |
The Washington Post opined that Butler "has all but abandoned whatever musical and vocal distinctiveness he once had in favor of his copycat commercial bent." [15] The Austin American-Statesman determined that the music "is upbeat and infectious with a backbeat that overpowers its occasional lapses into formulaic radio fare." [16] The Richmond Times-Dispatch called More Than Friends a "slickly produced album" that "moves toward the pop mainstream." [17]
AllMusic wrote that the album "continued the de-emphasis on his guitar playing, and was his biggest, most lavishly produced set." [13]
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "There's One Born Every Minute (I'm a Sucker for You)" | Jonathan Butler, Jolyon Skinner | 4:57 |
| 2. | "Breaking Away" | Butler, Skinner, Loris Holland | 4:45 |
| 3. | "More Than Friends" | Butler, Skinner | 5:16 |
| 4. | "Take Me Home" | Butler | 4:43 |
| 5. | "True Love Never Fails (duet with Vanessa Bell Armstrong)" | Butler, Skinner | 5:18 |
| 6. | "She's a Teaser" | Butler, Skinner | 4:19 |
| 7. | "She's Hot (Burning Up)" | Butler, Skinner | 4:10 |
| 8. | "Sarah Sarah" | Butler, Skinner | 5:04 |
| 9. | "It's So Hard to Let You Go" | Butler, Skinner | 4:53 |
| 10. | "Sekona" | Butler | 4:40 |
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "There's One Born Every Minute (I'm a Sucker for You)" | Butler, Skinner | 4:57 |
| 2. | "Breaking Away" | Butler, Skinner, Holland | 4:45 |
| 3. | "More Than Friends" | Butler, Skinner | 5:16 |
| 4. | "Take Me Home" | Butler | 4:43 |
| 5. | "True Love Never Fails" | Butler, Skinner | 5:18 |
| 6. | "Melodie" | Butler, Barry Eastmond | 4:40 |
| 7. | "She's a Teaser" | Butler, Skinner | 4:19 |
| 8. | "She's Hot (Burning Up)" | Butler, Skinner | 4:10 |
| 9. | "Sarah Sarah" | Butler, Skinner | 5:04 |
| 10. | "It's So Hard to Let You Go" | Butler, Skinner | 4:53 |
| 11. | "Sekona" | Butler | 4:40 |
| 12. | "Forever" | Butler, Eastmond | 4:50 |
Journeyman is the eleventh solo studio album by Eric Clapton. Heralded as a return to form for Clapton, who had struggled with alcohol addiction and recently found sobriety, the album has a 1980s electronic sound, but it also includes blues songs like "Before You Accuse Me", "Running on Faith", and "Hard Times." "Bad Love" was released as a single, reaching the No. 1 position on the Album Rock Chart in the United States, and being awarded a Grammy Award for Best Male Rock Vocal Performance in 1990. "Pretending" had also reached the No. 1 position on the Album Rock Chart the previous year, remaining at the top for five weeks.
Mr. Jordan is the third studio album by English singer-songwriter Julian Lennon, released in 1989. It was Lennon's first album in three years, after taking a hiatus from the music industry.
Any Love is the sixth studio album by American singer Luther Vandross. It was released by Epic Records on September 20, 1988, in the United States. Produced by Vandross and Marcus Miller, the album features a cover of Major Harris' hit single "Love Won't Let Me Wait" as well as "The Second Time Around," a re-recording of a song featured on Vandross's band Luther's 1976 album of the same name.
A Very Special Christmas is the first in the A Very Special Christmas series of Christmas-themed compilation albums produced to benefit the Special Olympics. The album was released on October 12, 1987, and production was overseen by Jimmy Iovine for A&M Records. A Very Special Christmas has raised millions of dollars for the Special Olympics. The cover artwork was designed by Keith Haring.
Other Voices is the fourth studio album by English singer Paul Young. Released in June 1990, the album peaked at No. 4 on the UK Albums Chart and has been certified gold by the British Phonographic Industry for UK sales in excess of 100,000 copies.
Never Let Me Go is the eighth studio album by American R&B/soul singer-songwriter Luther Vandross, released on May 26, 1993, in the US by Epic. It was his first studio album not to debut at #1 on the R&B Albums chart.
Urban Knights II is an album by the Urban Knights which was issued in 1997 on GRP Records. The album reached No. 5 on the Billboard Top Contemporary Jazz Albums Chart.
Be Yourself is the ninth solo album by American singer-songwriter Patti LaBelle. It was released by MCA Records on June 26, 1989 in the United States. Her second album with the company following her 1986 platinum album Winner in You, it features the single, "If You Asked Me To" which was also featured on the soundtrack to the James Bond movie, Licence to Kill (1989), and the R&B top ten Prince-written hit "Yo Mister." The album marked LaBelle's foray into new jack swing music with the tracks "I Got It Like That", produced by Full Force, and "Love 89", another Prince contribution.
Out of the Loop is an album by the Brecker Brothers that was released by GRP Records in 1994. In 1995 the album won the brothers two Grammy Awards for Best Contemporary Jazz Performance and Best Instrumental Composition.
The Dance is the fifth studio album by American smooth jazz saxophonist Dave Koz. It was released by Capitol Records on September 28, 1999. The album peaked at number 2 on the Billboard Top Contemporary Jazz Albums chart. The album sold more than 500,000 copies and was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).
Don't Let Love Slip Away is the third studio album by American singer Freddie Jackson. It was released by Capitol Records on July 29, 1988. The album reached number one on the US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums and peaked at number 48 on the Billboard 200. It was eventually certified gold by the RIAA in April 1989. Its singles, "Nice 'N' Slow" and "Hey Lover", reached number one on the R&B chart.
Do Me Again is the fourth studio album by American singer Freddie Jackson, released by Capitol Records in 1990. The album became Jackson's fourth consecutive effort to top the Billboard Top R&B Albums chart, and went gold in the US.
Twice the Love is a 1988 studio album by American guitarist and singer George Benson that was recorded with six production teams. The two main singles off the record were the title track "Twice the Love" and the Curtis Mayfield song "Let's Do It Again" which was a No. 1 hit for The Staple Singers in 1975.
Summer Horns is a collaboration album by Dave Koz, Gerald Albright, Mindi Abair and Richard Elliot. It was released on May 7, 2013 via Concord Records. The album was nominated for Grammy Award for Best Pop Instrumental Album at the 56th Annual Grammy Awards losing to Steppin' Out by Herb Alpert.
Jonathan Butler is a 1987 album by South African singer-guitarist Jonathan Butler.
The Crossing is the fifth studio album by English singer Paul Young. Released in 1993, the album peaked at No. 27 on the UK Albums Chart.
Time Out of Mind is a studio album by American jazz musician Grover Washington Jr. The album was recorded in Philadelphia with a large band and released in 1989 via Columbia label. Phyllis Hyman was invited as a guest artist.
Next Exit is a studio album by American jazz saxophonist Grover Washington Jr. The album was released in 1992 on Columbia Records label. Next Exit includes composition "Summer Chill" which was co-written by his son and nominated for a Grammy.
Something Real is the seventh studio album by the American musician Phoebe Snow, released in 1989 by Elektra Records. It was her first album in eight years. While caring for her disabled daughter, Snow spent five years making demo tapes and mailing them to labels.
Special Love is the second full-length gospel album by American R&B singer Deniece Williams released in 1989 on MCA/Sparrow Records. Special Love peaked at number 11 on the Billboard Top Christian Albums chart.