Luther Vandross
Forever, For Always, For Love

THE REVIEW

Let's take another leap into the '80s, this time talking about a great artist prematurely lost in 2005 but never forgotten: Luther Vandross. In the distant 1982, after the success of his debut album "Never Too Much", the New York artist returns with a new work titled "Forever, For Always, For Love".

In the album, we find joyous tracks like "Bad Boy/Having A Party", which reprises the classic by Sam Cooke, and "You're The Sweetest One", while the best comes from ballads like the cover of the Temptations' song "Since I Lost My Baby" and the evocative title track. These songs are appreciated for Vandross's intense interpretation and impeccable arrangements of strings and horns.

Unmissable also are the velvety "Promise Me" and the joyous "She Loves Me Back".

Thanks to the magical touch of bassist Marcus Miller and keyboardist Nat Adderley Jr., Luther gives us a classy album in which we also find exceptional backing vocalists like Cissy Houston, Fonzi Thornton, and Tawatha Agee.

Forever, For Always, For Love slots into the so-called "Quiet Storm" vein, which in the years to come would include other artists like Anita Baker and Will Downing among many. The unexpectedly romantic tone, Vandross's vocal genius, make the album enjoyable to listen to and allow us to rediscover the art of this unforgettable artist.