| Released: 1983 (Mercury) Produced by: Michael Sembello Peak on the US Billboard 200: Did not chart |
| Side One | Side Two |
|---|---|
| Only You First Time Where Is The Key You Can Do It Say Goodbye |
10 x 10 If You Let Me Love You This Side of the Rainbow Hold On I'll Be Lovin' You |
A few weeks back, a friend hipped me to this album because of its connection with Michael Sembello. I liked what I heard and thought it sounded a lot like Bossa Nova Hotel but also another group - I just couldn't place the sound. A quick trip to the discogs site to check out the writing and playing credits revealed familiar names: Ricky Lawson, Jimmy Haslip, and Russell Ferrante, who, at the time, were recording together as Yellowjackets and had recently released Mirage à Trois, a personal favorite of 17 year old me. Turns out Scott did some vocal work on the Mirage album while Yellowjackets wrote 7 of the 10 songs here, so these guys helped each other quite a bit. It should go without saying that you'll dig Without Warning if you like Mirage à Trois. And vice versa.
The Without Warning album is a delightful mix of familiar sounds and artists. For a while, I listened the album daily on YouTube, then eventually headed over to eBay and yada, yada, yada, I'm now spinning the vinyl on my Technics. I wish I had found it in 1983.
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| Billboard, August 27, 1983, p. 48 |
- Only You: Written by Scott, Michael Sembello, and his younger brother Dan. This song wouldn't have been out of place on the 1983 Sergio Mendes self-titled album (another favorite with which the Sembello brothers played a large role).
- First Time: I was already familiar with this track because it's also the second track on Bossa Nova Hotel. The Sembello version is in a lower key, slightly slower, and uses synth drums. If I had to choose between the two, I'd pick this Scott version, but they're both good.
- Where Is The Key: The shift from Sembello to Yellowjackets is immediately noticeable as the album moves to this cut. Jazzier with a slight gospel vibe (an early Yellowjackets trope) and a nice guitar solo from Robben Ford.
- You Can Do It: A breezy bit of filler with an uplifting lyric and keyboard solos from songwriter Russell Ferrante.
- Say Goodbye: Midtempo ballad with plenty of synthesized electric piano (Yamaha DX7?). I'm getting a Brenda Russell vibe on this one. And that's a good thing. Maybe it's the tight background vocals
- 10 x 10: The obvious attempt at a pop single because it sticks out like a sore thumb on this album. That doesn't mean it's a bad tune; just oddly out of place. We go from smooth soft rock with understated production to an aggressive dance tune with clipped vocals. Even with a breakdancing promotional video and a 12" remix release, I can't see that this made any chart appearance. That's a shame because I really dig the chorus harmonies. Of course said chorus has been a steady earworm for more than a week now. Ignore the "exponential exploration" bridge.
- If You Let Me Love You: sounds much like the tune "Goin' Home" from the aforementioned Mirage à Trois, but I'll let it slide because Lord knows I've subconsciously plagiarized from myself. Still, there's not much going on with this one except an overly busy synth solo.
- This Side of the Rainbow: starts off by quoting the 1933 standard "Stormy Weather" but quickly turns into a blues-based slow funk-lite tune. Sounds like something Natalie Cole might have recorded. Robben Ford tears off the best solo on the album.
- Hold On: the Tower of Power horns bring their 'A' game to this otherwise lackluster tune.
- I'll Be Lovin' You: Scott and Ferrante slow things down to end the album with a chorus so smooth they start the song with it.
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