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Can't Slow Down

Lionel Richie - Can't Slow Down Audio CD

A fair review of the Lionel Richie "Can't Slow Down" Audio CD. Please note that the below review is the views of the authors, and authors only. You can get a complete list of all Lionel Richie reviews here, or go back to the Lionel Richie tabs.

Band: Lionel Richie
Title: Can't Slow Down
Rating:

Release Date: 2003-05-06
Media: Audio CD

Tracks: 1: Can't Slow Down 2: All Night Long (All Night) 3: Penny Lover 4: Stuck on You 5: Love Will Find a Way 6: Only One 7: Running With the Night 8: Hello 9: All Night Long (All Night) [12-Inch Version][*] 10: Penny Lover [7-Inch Single Remix][*] 11: All Night Long (All Night) [12-Inch B-Side][*][Instrumental] 12: Running With the Night [12-Inch B-Side][*][Instrumental] 13: Can't Slow Down [#] 14: Ain't No Sayin' No [#] 15: Tell Me [#] 16: All Night Long (All Night) [#] 17: Penny Lover [#] 18: Stuck on You [#] 19: Can't Find Love [#] 20: Love Will Find a Way [#] 21: Only One [#] 22: Groove [Instrumental Interlude][#] 23: Running With the Night [#] 24: Hello [#]

Stellar Remastered Sound,Nice Deluxe Edition
The album tracks are also very good like the danceable title song,the lengthy but smooth slow jam "Love Will Find A Way" and the lush David Foster-produced ballad "The Only One". "Can't Slow Down" was Lionel Richie's "Thriller",going to #1 and containing five Top Ten smashes like "All Night Long","Hello","Running With The Night","Stuck On You" and "Penny Lover". This R&B/pop classic got the Deluxe Edition treatment in 2003 with the original album remastered brillantly from the first-generation master tapes by the great Kevin Reeves at Universal Mastering Studios-East plus single/12-inch remixes of "All Night Long","Penny Lover" and "Running With The Night" added on the first disc. The second disc,called "The Ground Floor",is filled with demos,alternates,working masters and session jams. While a couple of them are interesting("Tell Me",which became "Please Hold On",the standout album track on Chicago 17,and an alternate version of "Penny Lover" which contains most of the background vocals on the remixed single),most of them are not worth more than one listen. Aside from that,this is a nice package,especially for the luscious,bassy,smooth-sounding remastering.

CAN'T SLOW DOWN, LIONEL RICHIES MAGNUM OPUS, WHAT A CAREER LIONEL ONCE HAD.............
8th 1983 of "All Night Long" on my FM radio. I remember hearing the release on Sept. Thriller was the big album of the day. "Can't Slow Down" was a worthy competitor to "Thriller" and had it share of number one hits and hits in general. I look back at those years of 1983-1984 when "Can't slow Down" was climbing the charts and realize what a creative recording this really was. I had the vinyl lp back in those years and even the "All Night Long" 45 on the blue Motown label. (remember those 45s). David Foster co-produced this landmark Motown recording. David Foster also produced the 1984s 7,500,00O seller Chicago 17. Everything Lionel Richie touched at this time, from music to Pepsi commercials turned to gold. Lionel Richie was at a creative zenith at this time of his career that few music stars or even celebrities even reach, Lionel could do no wrong. Lionel was even selling out big arenas with his music tours. After some marriage problems Lionel Richie lost his magic touch, and really disapeared from the publics eye and recorded and released some more recordings with little fanfare. As of 2004 here in NYC I saw Lionel Richie performing a free concert at Bryant Park which he really enjoyed performing, what a fall from the mountain Lionel was once on top of. The extra demos might be overkill but it gives you some insight to how this 1980s landmark album was created. I enjoyed the intstrumental of "All Night Long". The linear notes are very informative and facinating. Definitly highly recommended listening. "CAN'T SLOW DOWN" is a recording worth a delux cd edition. Regardless of the negatives and naysayers Lionel Richie during the years 1983-1984 reached a peak in his career few musicians or celebrities have and ever will.

NOT THAT GREAT
Beware when you purchase this "remastered" version because the sound quality is so low, that you almost have to cut your CD player up to full volume to hear some of the tracks (hence the idea of remastering is to give you better sound quality not worse). I agree with the March 2, 2006 reviewer. I find the bonus material to be acceptable, however, and the additional remixes are fine as well (if you are a fan). Just don't understand who in the quality control department, (or why even Lionel himself) let this one fly, because volume wise it is absolutely terrible. I am curious if the single disc remastered version is any better.

So Many Things Wrong With This, I Don't Know Where To Begin!
The volume levels are so low and the voice levels are so soft you can hardly hear Lionel above the music. So I'll start with the alleged remastering; you'd think that at least the main course should sound better than the appetizers but that isn't the case here. The sound quality is also very patchy with some tracks sounding a lot better than others but what really gets me is that the bonus remixes added on to disc one sound a lot better than the main album which is criminal.

Secondly, there are only so many versions of "All Night Long" I can stand on one album before I get really sick of the song and we have 3 of them here. Disc 2 is totally redundant and is full of fillers. The only redeeming track is "Tell Me" for me and only because it shows me what the great track "Please Hold On" written by David Foster and performed so brilliantly by Chicago on their album "17" sounded like as a rough idea that was demo-ed by Lionel Richie. Listen to "Please Hold On" by Chicago and you'll know what I mean about how much better the final product is that started out as the skeleton track "Tell Me".

Save your money folks because Disc 2 is truly forgettable and unnecessary unless you have money to burn. I really hope they remaster this album again properly without the bonus fillers and perhaps package it in a mini-lp sleeve on one disc; that's the only way they will do justice to this otherwise classic album and by far Lionel Richie's best solo work.

Final recommendation: not worth the money; get the normal one disc version that's out there.

One Of The Best Remastered Albums
This is by far Lionel's best album. I have listened to this album alot since i bought it, i also bought this orginal album on cassette when it came out as well. I even loved the extended cuts as well as the ones that didn't make the orginal. excellent work Lionel, i would love it if you still keep playing wonderful music for a long time to come.

You can see a complete list of all Lionel Richie discography, or go back to the Lionel Richie tabs. There is also a good guide on how to read guitar tabs here.