The Commodores Albums (17)
What The Critics Say
The Commodores were a shell of themselves when they recorded No Tricks. Their glory years were far behind them. Attempting to regain lost stardom, they refurbish "Brick House" as "Brick House '93," and rely heavily on the singing skills of new Commodore J.D. Nicholas and original member Walter Orange. But there's no Lionel Richie and the DJs chilled these tracks so that many of the Commodores' most ardent fans were unaware of this release, which deserved a better fate. The title track is arresting and "Shut Up and Dance," "Let's Get Busy," and "Don't Rock It" are floor magnets. ~ Andrew Hamilton, All Music Guide
'Commodores Christmas'
Release Date 9/30/1992
Tracks 12
Label Sound Barrier
See Album Tracklist and Review
What The Critics Say
R&B purists have often argued that the Commodores did their most essential work before 1977. It was in 1977 that they crossed over to the pop/adult contemporary audience in a major way with "Easy," and subsequent hits like 1978's "Three Times a Lady" and 1979's "Still" (both of which reached number one on Billboard's pop singles charts) certainly weren't the work of R&B snobs. Of course, Lionel Richie never claimed to be an R&B purist, although it is safe to say that the Commodores were still a hardcore funk/soul band when their third album, Movin' On, came out in 1975. From an R&B standpoint (as opposed to a pop or adult contemporary standpoint), this is one of their most essential releases. Those who love hard, gutsy 1970s funk can't go wrong with horn-powered gems like "Mary, Mary," "(Can I) Get a Witness," "Gimme My Mule," and "Hold On"; however, the song that Movin' On is best remembered for is the laid-back, gospel-drenched hit "Sweet Love." Written by Richie, "Sweet Love" is one of those secular soul tunes that isn't really gospel but borders on it; when Richie belts out the lyrics, "You got to keep on searching/harder/day by day," you feel like you're in the front row during an AME church service. And even though Movin' On is an LP that R&B purists rave about (rightly so), you can't say that it was ignored by pop audiences -- "Sweet Love" was a number two R&B hit, but it also reached number five on Billboard's pop singles chart. ~ Alex Henderson, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Things were pretty bleak for The Commodores by the time this late '80s set was issued. Lionel Richie and Thomas McClary were both long gone, and the recovery/momentum they'd generated from the single "Nightshift" had also dissipated. They didn't regenerate much interest through this one, mainly due to limp material and less than arresting vocals. ~ Ron Wynn, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
The Commodores scored one last chart hit with this album, and it serves as their goodbye, even though they issued another album after it. "Nightshift" had already come and gone, and the song "Goin' to the Bank" was a far cry from the glory days, although it did go all the way to the number two position. The reconfigured lineup simply couldn't match the original band's intensity, versatility, or distinctiveness. ~ Ron Wynn, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
With strong production by Dennis Lambert, the Marvin Gaye-tribute title track was the band's only hit after Lionel Richie left the group. ~ Rick A. Bueche, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
For the Commodores, losing Lionel Richie in 1982 was a lot like L.T.D. losing Jeffrey Osborne and Rose Royce losing Gwen Dickey -- it was a severe blow, although not a fatal one. In fact, the Commodores had a few major hits after Richie's departure, including "Nightshift" (a number one R&B/number three pop smash) in 1984 and "Goin' to the Bank" in 1986. Released in 1983, Commodores 13 was the band's first post-Richie album as well as its first album without producer James Carmichael (who had been working with the Commodores since 1974). This LP came out around the same time as Richie's second solo album, Can't Slow Down, which sold over eight million copies in the U.S. alone. Commodores 13 didn't do nearly that well, although it's a generally decent, if uneven, record that had a number 20 R&B hit in "Only You." The lead vocals are handled by Walter Orange, Thomas McClary, and the Mean Machine's Harold Hudson, who was an interim vocalist rather than an official full-time vocalist. Not surprisingly, the Commodores cover both their R&B bases and their pop bases, getting into everything from sleek keyboard funk ("Touchdown," "Nothing Like a Woman") to adult contemporary ballads ("Only You"). Meanwhile, "Ooo Woman You," which McClary co-wrote with Melissa Manchester, is a catchy pop/rock number. Is Commodores 13 a masterpiece? No. This release isn't in a class with essential treasures like 1976's Hot on the Tracks or 1977's The Commodores. But it isn't a bad album, and it indicated that there could be life after Lionel Richie for the Commodores. ~ Alex Henderson, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
In 1980 and 1981, many people in the music world suspected that Lionel Richie would soon be leaving the Commodores to pursue a solo career -- and sure enough, he officially became a full-time solo artist in 1982. In the Pocket, released in 1981, turned out to be his final album with the group. Not surprisingly, Richie dominates the album, singing lead on everything from adult contemporary ballads like "Lucy" and "Oh No" (a number four pop/number five R&B smash) to the sophisticated funk of "Why You Wanna Try Me" and the Top Five R&B favorite "Lady (You Bring Me Up)." Walter Orange and Thomas McClary also contribute some lead vocals, but the album's best-known songs are the ones that feature Richie. While In the Pocket doesn't contain a lot of hardcore funk à la "Brickhouse" or "Slippery When Wet," the sleeker, smoother sophisti-funk style is well represented by "Why You Wanna Try Me" and "Lady (You Bring Me Up)," as well as "Saturday Night" and "Keep on Taking Me Higher." Overall, In the Pocket isn't great -- "Lady (You Bring Me Up)" is certainly a gem, although the rest of the material is merely decent. But while In the Pocket isn't among the Commodores' essential releases, it was still a pleasant way for Richie to end his association with the Southern band. ~ Alex Henderson, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
From 1974 until the end of the '70s, the Commodores enjoyed kicking out the hits. As the 1980s rolled in, the Commodores did not lose much steam as they scored their first Top Ten hit of the decade with the midtempo beauty "Old Fashion Love." From the flattering lyric to the zestful groove, the splendid selection is complemented by Lionel Richie's colorful delivery. It peaked at number eight on the Billboard R&B charts."Heroes" extols everyday people for their feats and courage and checked in at 27 after 11 weeks on the charts. The former Tuskegee collegians were not known to do gospel, but the self-contained sextet scored big with "Jesus Is Love." Richie's prayerful message and pleading cries are solidified with a lyric and melody that complement one another. The song's popularity is far greater than what the charts reflected (number 37). "Wake Up Children" and "Mighty Spirit" are two other inspirational selections. ~ Craig Lytle, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
When the Commodores' seventh studio album, Midnight Magic, came out in 1979, one could safely assume that the LP would contain at least one adult contemporary ballad. And sure enough, Midnight Magic contains the ballad "Still," which was a number one pop hit (as well as a number one R&B hit) and became a staple on adult contemporary radio. The sappy ballad (which features Lionel Richie) wasn't without its detractors, who felt that the Commodores had become too much of a slick crossover act. But even if "Still" doesn't excite you, the rest of the album isn't bad. "Wonderland" (a number 21 R&B hit) is an enjoyable R&B slow jam, and fans of sophisticated funk (as opposed to hardcore funk) should appreciate "You're Special," "Gettin' It," and the disco-minded title song. "Sexy Lady" is the only thing on the LP that can honestly be described as hardcore funk; most of the up-tempo tunes favor the type of sophisticated funk that the Brothers Johnson, Rufus/Chaka Khan, and Heatwave were known for in the late '70s. Next to "Still," the album's best-known track is "Sail On," which reached number eight on Billboard's R&B singles chart (and number four on its pop single chart) despite the fact that it is essentially a pop-country song. Some R&B purists saw "Sail On" as a blatant example of how watered down the Commodores had become, but it's still a charming and likable tune -- one that wouldn't have been out of place on a Dolly Parton or Glen Campbell LP. Midnight Magic isn't one of the Commodores' essential releases, and R&B purists are advised to stick to the band's pre-1977 albums. Nonetheless, this is a generally decent, if uneven, record that has more strengths than weaknesses. ~ Alex Henderson, All Music Guide
