- Source: Flame (Patti LaBelle album)
Flame is the thirteenth studio album by American singer Patti LaBelle. It was released by MCA Records on June 24, 1997, in the United States.
Content
Executive produced by LaBelle, Flame features songs from the likes of Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, who contributed to much of the compositions and productions on the album while other producers including Gerald Levert, Brenda Russell and David Foster are also featured on the album. The album features the international hit and number-one dance single, "When You Talk About Love", and the R&B radio favorite, "Shoe Was on the Other Foot". The album is also notable for including the ballad, "Don't Block the Blessings", which is the title of LaBelle's best-selling autobiography released a year before Flame.
Critical reception
Allmusic editor Leo Stanley found that Flame "is largely a slick, seductive collection of ballads punctuated by a handful of restrained dance-pop numbers. And in that sense, it's no different than any of her '90s albums, but that isn't a bad thing, since LaBelle works with top-notch, classy professionals [...] But instead of making the album sound diverse and sprawling, their highly skilled craftsmanship keeps the album unified. All that effort makes the record a pleasurable, listenable album, yet there aren't enough killer hooks or great songs to make it a standout in LaBelle's catalog. Instead, Flame is merely a good Patti LaBelle record, and sometimes that's all you need."
Larry Flick from Billboard wrote, "And the yummy singles from "Flame" just keep on coming. LaBelle effectively reinvents the Reba McEntire and Linda Davis hit as a R&B ballad. David Foster's production has ample soul, swelling from a quietly percussive opening into a grand closing that allow Miss Patti to do what she does best—belt with the power to shatter glass. With the previous "Shoe Was On The Other Foot" poised for club success, it's looking like a LaBelle-filled fall. What a joy!"
Track listing
Personnel
Strings (Tracks 4, 11, 13 & 14)
John Blake, Richard Hotchkiss, Richard Jones, Orest Markiah, Jennifer Morgo, Tanya Murphy, Anthony Pirollo, Melvin Roundtree and Nina Wilkenson
Strings (Track 12)
Patricia Daniels and Marc Ward – cello
Sophie Labiner – harp
Nina Cottman and Ruth Wright – viola
Larry Abramovitz, Bonnie Ayers, Emma Kummrow, Olga Lonolpelsky, Charles Parker, Jean Perrault, Christine Reeves and Helen Wedgen – violin
Production
Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis – producers (1, 5, 9)
James "Big Jim" Wright – co-producer (1, 5, 9)
Gerald Levert – producer (2, 7)
Edwin "Tony" Nicholas – producer (2, 7)
David Foster – producer (3, 6)
Arif Mardin – producer (4, 11, 13)
Sami McKinney – producer (8, 10)
Christian Warren – producer (8, 10)
James Budd Ellison – producer (12)
Malcolm Allison – producer (14)
Patti LaBelle – producer (14), executive producer
Armstead Edwards – executive producer
Barbara Ferber – production assistant
Pulcheria Ricks – production assistant
Kenny J. Gravillis – art direction, design
Vartan – art direction, design
Albert Sanchez – photography
= Technical
=Glenn Barratt – engineer
Jeff Chestek – engineer
Felipe Elgueta – engineer
Steve Groom – engineer
Steve Hodge – engineer, mixing
Richard Joseph – engineer
Rod Milwood – engineer
Michael O'Reilly – engineer, mixing
Al Schmit – engineer
Arthur Stoppe – engineer
Mike Tarsia – engineer, mixing
Mick Guzauski – mixing
Ron A. Shaffer – mixing
Brian Garten – assistant engineer
Gordon Rice – assistant engineer
Rick Ridpath – assistant engineer, mix assistant
Xavier Smith – assistant engineer
Tom Bender – mix assistant
Hilary Bercovici – mix assistant
Brian Gardner – mastering
Charts
Certifications
References
Kata Kunci Pencarian:
- Patti LaBelle
- Mariah Carey
- Nicki Minaj
- Flame (Patti LaBelle album)
- Patti LaBelle
- Patti LaBelle discography
- When a Woman Loves (album)
- Live! One Night Only
- Flame (disambiguation)
- If You Don't Know Me by Now
- When You Talk About Love
- List of songs written by Diane Warren
- Stewart Levine
