Vicki Sue Robinson Albums (4)
What The Critics Say
On her fourth and final album for RCA, Robinson switched from the production of Warren Schatz to T. Life, who also served as co-writer on most tracks. Best-known for his 1970's work with Evelyn "Champagne" King, Life gave Robinson a funkier soul edge on this outing, in the form of grooves like the titletrack, a downtempo jam with a gospel-esque background arrangement; and the breezy "High on Your Love." Robinson ad-libs more comfortably than on previous efforts, and gives a particularly notable performance on "Can't Accept the Fact." Though not as diverse as its predecessor, Half & Half, this set is an impressive effort. ~ Justin M. Kantor, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Without question, Half and Half is Vicki Sue Robinson's strongest, most consistent album. Her two previous albums, Never Gonna Let You Go and Vicki Sue Robinson, were uneven -- they contained a few gems but were dominated by material that was merely decent instead of excellent. This 1977 LP, however, is confident and solid all the way through. "Don't Try to Win Me Back Again," "Feels So Good It Must Be Wrong," "Trust in Me," and the hit "Hold Tight" are exuberant disco-soul classics, and Robinson is equally appealing on the Northern soul ballads "We Found Each Other" and "Freeway Song" (which she co-wrote). Meanwhile, the title song is a rock-influenced funk treasure that would have been perfect for a Rufus/Chaka Khan album. Everything on Half and Half was deserving of radio airplay, but unfortunately radio DJs didn't pay nearly as much attention to the record as club DJs. Nonetheless, this excellent LP explodes the myth that the only worthwhile recording Robinson made was "Turn the Beat Around." ~ Alex Henderson, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Like Never Gonna Let You Go, Vicki Sue Robinson's self-titled second album is uneven. Most of the material is decent without being great, but occasionally Robinson soars -- and when she soars, she really soars. The LP gets off to an impressive start with her classic remake of Bobby Womack's "Daylight," which becomes exuberant instead of moody in her hands. While Womack wanted you to sit down and listen to his version, Robinson's remake is clearly aimed at the dancefloor. Equally impressive are the melancholy "How About Me" and the dramatic disco-soul gem "After All This Time," but for the most part, Vicki Sue Robinson isn't mind-blowing. The album's least respectable offering is "Should I Stay," which is nothing more than a poor man's "Turn the Beat Around." Not surprisingly, the guys who wrote "Turn the Beat Around," Pete and Gerald Jackson, also wrote the very similar "Should I Stay." How similar? So similar that if someone else had written "Should I Stay," Pete and Gerald Jackson probably would have filed a lawsuit for copyright infringement. But when you rip yourself off you don't have to worry about feeling the wrath of an intellectual property lawyer. Of course, "Should I Stay"'s lack of creativity doesn't make "Daylight" or "After All This Time" any less appealing. ~ Alex Henderson, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
When "Turn the Beat Around" became a major hit in 1976, many of the people who heard that disco-soul classic on the radio bought the single and skipped Vicki Sue Robinson's debut album, Never Gonna Let You Go. But those who did hear the rest of the LP found that most of the other tracks were decent, if unremarkable. Club DJs, unlike radio DJs, didn't play "Turn the Beat Around" exclusively -- some of them found "We Can Do Almost Anything" useful and the exuberant, sunny title track (which is arguably the second best song on the album) enjoyed a lot of club exposure. But much of the LP isn't aimed at the dance floor; "When You're Lovin' Me," "Lack of Respect," and "Wonderland of Love" are competent Northern soul items with a strong Philadelphia influence. At times Never Gonna Let You Go sounds like it might have been recorded at Philly's Sigma Sound Studios, but in fact, the album was recorded entirely in New York. Never Gonna Let You Go is uneven, but its plusses exceed its minuses -- and despite its flaws, it indicated that Robinson had a great deal of potential. ~ Alex Henderson, All Music Guide
