Commodores - In The Pocket (1981) (vinyl LP) - €10,00

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In the Pocket is the ninth studio album by the American R&B/Funk group the Commodores, released by Motown Records in 1981.

It is the last Commodores album to feature Lionel Richie, as he left the band to start a solo career the following year. 

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.

The bulk of the album was recorded at Web IV Recording Studio in Atlanta, Georgia. 

This album contained two hit singles, "Lady (You Bring Me Up)" (U.S. No. 8) and "Oh No" (U.S. No. 4). 

Side one

1.  Lady (You Bring Me Up) - 4:46  

2.  Saturday Night - 5:00  

3.  Keep On Taking Me Higher - 5:19  

4.  Oh No - 2:51  

Side two

1.  Why You Wanna Try Me - 4:36  

2.  This Love - 5:15  

3.  Been Loving You - 3:52  

4.  Lucy - 4:48 

Commodores

• Lionel Richie – vocals, pianos, keyboards, saxophones
• Milan Williams – keyboards, vocals
• Thomas McClary – vocals, guitars
• Ronald LaPread – bass, vocals
• Walter Orange – drums, vocals, percussion
• William King – trumpet

Additional personnel

• David Cochrane – keyboards, guitars, saxophones
• Harold Hudson – keyboards, trumpet, vocals
• Darrell Jones – guitars
• James Anthony Carmichael – horn and string arrangements
• Gene Page – rhythm arrangements 

Production

• Commodores – producers, arrangements
• James Anthony Carmichael – producer, arrangements
• Calvin Harris – recording, mixing
• Jane Clark – additional engineer
• Tommy Cooper – assistant engineer 
• Ed Seay – assistant engineer 
• Richard Well – assistant engineer 
• Skip Cottrell – assistant engineer 
• Bernie Grundman – mastering
• Johnny Lee – art direction, design
• David Alexander – photography
• Suzee Ikeda – project manager

Notes

Release: 1981

Format:  LP, Vinyl

Genre:  Soul, Funk

Label:  Motown

Catalog#  542010

Vinyl:  Goed (VG)

Cover:  Goed (VG)

Prijs: €10,00