Real Love (Ashford & Simpson album)

Last updated
Real Love
Real Love (Ashford & Simpson album).jpg
Studio album by
Released1986
Studio
  • 39th Street Music, New York City
  • Blank Tape, New York City
  • Unique, New York City
Genre R&B, soul, pop
Label Capitol
Producer Ashford & Simpson
Ashford & Simpson chronology
Solid
(1984)
Real Love
(1986)
Love or Physical
(1989)

Real Love is an album by the American R&B duo Ashford & Simpson, released in 1986 via Capitol Records. [1] [2]

Contents

The album peaked at No. 74 on the Billboard 200. [3] It was nominated for a Grammy Award, in the "Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal" category. [4] The duo promoted the album with an appearance on One Life to Live and a North American tour. [5]

Production

All tracks from the album were written and produced by Ashford & Simpson. [6] Stevie Wonder contributed a harmonica solo to "Nobody Walks in L.A." [7]

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [8]
Robert Christgau B [9]
The Encyclopedia of Popular Music Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [10]
Record Mirror 2/5 [11]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [12]

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." [6] 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." [9] 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." [13] The Gazette called the album "more seamless songs of love, loss and inspiration from the yuppies of soul." [14]

Track listing

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
Total length:38:21

Personnel

Production

References

  1. "At Last, The Secret Is Out". Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. September 20, 1986 via Google Books.
  2. "Jet's Top 20 Albums". Jet. Johnson Publishing Company. September 22, 1986 via Google Books.
  3. "Ashford & Simpson". Billboard.
  4. "Ashford And Simpson". GRAMMY.com. November 23, 2020.
  5. "Popping Around". Showcase. The Tennessean. 10 Aug 1986. p. 13.
  6. 1 2 "'Love' and Marriage". The Washington Post. Retrieved 30 June 2021.
  7. "Ashford and Simpson — Dynamic Duo on the Charts". Orlando Sentinel. Retrieved 30 June 2021.
  8. "Real Love - Ashford & Simpson | Songs, Reviews, Credits | AllMusic" via www.allmusic.com.
  9. 1 2 "Robert Christgau: CG: Ashford". www.robertchristgau.com.
  10. Larkin, Colin (2006). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music. Vol. 1. MUZE. p. 271.
  11. Bernard, Edwin J. (13 September 1986). "Albums: Ashford & Simpson – Real Love (Capitol)" (PDF). Record Mirror . London: Spotlight Publications Ltd. p. 18. ISSN   0144-5804. Archived from the original (PDF) on 23 June 2023. Retrieved 8 January 2024 via World Radio History.
  12. The Rolling Stone Album Guide. Random House. 1992. p. 25.
  13. "R&B's Love Couple". Los Angeles Times. August 24, 1986.
  14. Griffin, John (25 Sep 1986). "Ashford and Simpson – Real Love (Capitol)". The Gazette. p. E3.
  15. "Ashford and Simpson — Dynamic Duo on the Charts". Orlando Sentinel. Retrieved 30 June 2021.