Rapture

The production on this album is INSANE. Yeah I know it’s cheesy, whatever I don’t care. Just listen to it, you can hear every single instrument, they all sound crisp. And it never drowns out baker or the backup singers. This album is luxurious, it’s like drinking a cold glass of water at 3 AM when your lips are dry.

Best voice in this list so far. Holy shit she's good. Stand-out: Sweet Love, Caught Up in the Rapture

VERY jazzy r&b music; taking inspiration from city pop tracks and romantic soul creates an album that sounds VERY nice to listen to. it's said that the likes of whitney houston took heavy inspiration from baker's discography, and i see why, with very jazzy chords, sappy lovey-dovey and moderately religious lyrics, and a voice so firm and strong it can save a soul from a deep depression. i had a great time all the way through.

Basically a perfect album. Fantastic vocals, beautiful composition, and flawless production. 5/5

Very smooth and great sound

Very underrated artist in my opinion. Lovely voice, love Anita Baker 👍

Once you've listened to this list for a while, you'll welcome any album that you can listen to without damaging your hearing. I think this album is unfairly rated so low. Anita Baker has a very beautiful voice and the songs are well composed and arranged.

We were all caught up by her beautiful singing back then. Great arrangements and Anita has an instantly recognizable voice. This is a delightful album still.

EXCELLENT

very chill sound, so classy

p559. 1986. 5 stars. One of THE great soul voices on absolutely top form. This is fabulous.

This was a brilliant listen, faultless.

spotify would only allow me to listen to 5 of the 8 songs on the album.

Sweet, sweet voice. I’d heard her before but hadn’t really listened to a full selection. Just soothing & sweet.

Her voice is amazing! the percussion work is a masterpiece. The passion this album displays is a must to appreciate.

Cool

Oh I am so excited to see this on the list. It’s so nice to see anything other than more white men. It’s rare to find some soul in this list of sameness. Aaaaand of course Spotify has half the songs on the album blocked. SMH One of the things I admired about Anita Baker was that, at the absolute peak of fame, she walked away from it all to care for her sick relative. Just left the world behind for the sake of love. I still enjoy her music. The two big hits are still perfect r&b pop. Even my 80yr old grandfather used to like her back in the day. Her voice is effortless and clear. So much of the melody is carried in her singing. It’s hard not to blast this to sing along to. Her voice just invites you to join in. Really enjoying this. No One in the World is new to me and has been added to mixes now. Ok now pretty much everything has been saved to my lists. Forgot about Same Ole Love. Friggin’ love it. Excellent album. Wish it was fully available. Happy to have more Anita Baker in my life. This is a great example of 80’s quiet storm, easy r&b. Great music that still holds up. Perfect performances all around. Already replaying.

Rating: 10/10

A great album! Surprised that I knew so many of these songs.

Beautiful gem that will now live in my life forever

I fondly remembered Anita Baker thanks to my aunt & uncle listening to R&B stations back in the day. Every time Anita came on, I'd stop to listen. To this day, I think about her - I'm so glad this was on the challenge. This is classic R&B, and it's done right. I loved this album so much, I listened to it three times & let the algorithm run free after the album was over. What an awesome day of beautiful & chill R&B. It was like hearty chicken soup for the soul. 5 stars.

A great album from one of my favourite vocalists! favs: You Bring Me Joy, Watch Your Step, Same Ole Love, Sweet Love, Caught Up In The Rapture least fav: No One In The World

Bright, joyful, super smooth. I've always had an appreciation for this type of RnB, the kind when the piano just glistens as the singer sings soulfully over it. Anita has a gorgeous voice, and it just plays against the instruments so well. So many wonderful melismatic runs, hooks for days. It might be a little cheesy, but I think it's aware of that, and plays into it. Favorite tracks: "Mystery", "Sweet Love", "Caught Up In The Rapture", "Same Ole Love"

Beautiful

A última romântica.

A stunning album, great singing, great bass, fantastic sax

Perfection.

Oh my God, I love it already! Reminds me of my childhood. 70s sound with 80s production.

I didn't want this album to end.

Beautiful voice - had to listen on YT b/c half of the album was hidden on Spotify?

For me this is the best embodiment of the R&B quiet storm that was very popular in the 80s. A perfect late night album - it doesn't sound very 80s. There are too many classic, retro touches - R&B with a dash of jazz (especially her scat singing). She sounds older than her years (28) and more experienced (her second album) throughout. It is what every soul album in the 80s aspired to live up to. I can't think of one that came close.

Well that was sublime 🥰 Perfect for an evening curled on the sofa in front of a fire with the love of your life, with a glass or two of your favourite tipple. Lovely

Phenomenal. I've always loved her voice and her music.

Sweet, sweet smooth 80s R&B. Love this stuff. Best tracks are the ones with Freddie Washington on bass. That guy grooves. Saddened to read that Don Myrick, who was in the original Earth, Wind & Fire horn section and the sax soloist on 'You Bring Me Joy' was murdered by a police officer who mistook his lighter for a weapon. In better news, I read that Anita Baker has regained the rights to her music so fingers crossed all her records will be available for streaming soon.

I loved this. Anita's voice is so beautiful and soulful.

Ahhhhhhh, what a voice! Sweet and smooth like silky honey. Released just as I was starting college, this seemed like music for old people to me. I guess I'm old now because it just sounded great today. A genuine treat.

After Murder Ballads on one day and noise rock the next, the 1001 Album Gods took mercy on my ears with a quiet storm of perfect 80s soul. This was just the musical hug I had no idea I was needing. The production is spot on. This is music for a romantic evening in a swanky blue-lit nightclub sipping on a cocktail as the conversation grows more and more intimate. Sax-forward and butter-smooth, RAPTURE is an unexpectedly wonderful addition to my night.

10/10 based af

Absolutely blown away by Anita's beautiful voice. This old school RnB was such a breath of fresh air and it will be in heavy rotation for me.

Great album!

Это полный восторг!

Mellow

A 4 or a 5. Oh what the hell

Chill. Good. Understated. Feels familiar. Morning vibes.

Sounds lovely. 9

I'm a sucker for eighties soul production. This album was fantastic on that alone. Add in bakers vocals it was a homerun

Ultimate smooth R&B

only 4 of the songs are on spotify, tracks 1,2,3, 7

What a bunch of misanthropes on this site. Surely commercialized music is better when it’s made with sophistication and passion like this, rather than the completely soulless ad-slop we so often get here in the 2020s? I think so. Anyway, this album is full of jams. Great melodies and chord progressions. Really surprised me and kept me engaged all the way through. Some songs are better than other for sure. Still, I’d put this on my must-listen list. #364 (REAL NUMBER!)

Filled with good songs and a brilliant voice, don't really have much criticism for this. No One in the World is my fav song and first listen of the album. Watch Your Step and You Bring Me Joy were my other highlights

album chiquérrimoooooo. é quase um "city pop" com um vozeirão lindo da anita.

Real good. Fav track: “Been so long”

1. Would 2. A little Anita will definitely set this party off right. 3. Begins with Sweet Love which is just stellar on every level from recording and synthy masterpiece arrangement to vocal performance. Such a strangely deep yet smashingly sultry and soul-stirring voice. Very mooo-ving. Udderly spell-binding. She really hoofs it on Sweet Love! And most of the other cuts on Rapture are pretty dreamy and delicious to be fair. 4. Rapture is an anagram of Ruperta which is a great name. I think more girls and drag queens should be called Ruperta. 5. This album is so near to being a 5 but it would have clinched it if it had more songs about badgers. Sweet Badger. You Bring Me Badgers. Caught Up In The Rapture Of Badgers etc. Anita, do you mind putting on this badger costume and changing your surname to Badger?

What a woman

Smooth pop album, very enjoyable.

Easy to play album, it's growing on me a bit more every time. Feel a bit of Whitney in her style. Also some funky notes Can't stop from hearing Tupac's "Scandalous" in "been so long" Same ole love as my N1 song

Vibeje

Echt leuk

Smooth

Coming off Pink Floyd’s The Wall, here pops up Anita Baker’s Rapture. It’s a bit jarring. There was a time when Baker dominated the radio and MTV. I’m not fully sure if it was this album or this and a combination of other albums, but Baker was huge around this time with hit after hit, or at least it seemed that way. I remember seeing her all over the place, MTV, awards shows, TV, she was the It Girl in music. But then, the 90s hit, and she disappeared. Or maybe I quit looking in the places I had seen her before. I was fully ensconced in metal and hard rock by then. Rapture had one top-10 hit with Sweet Love and sold over 5 million albums in the U.S. alone. For that time period, that was huge. There are just 8 songs on the album, and it’s 36 minutes long. Holy crap! After consulting with my good friend Wikipedia, Baker is still alive and just 68 years old. Where is she? Also, Wikipedia lists her genres as soul jazz, smooth jazz, R&B, soul, and quiet storm. Are you kidding me? Quiet storm? That’s incredible. Track 1 is Sweet Love, the big hit off the album and the second single released. The song also won a Grammy that year for Best R&B song, while the album won a Grammy for Best R&B Album. I vaguely remember the beginning of it, and it’s that almost gospel-type soul music from the era. It’s got that gospel bass sound, and the drums are splashy. Ordinarily, I’d think it was corny, but it’s not over the top in this song. Ooooh, her voice is deep. It reminds me of a female Michael McDonald. Oh snap! I remember this song now. It’s a banger! I imagine I hated it back then because there wasn’t some nonsensical guitar wankery in the middle of it. Now the fake keyboard horns are coming in. The chorus is cool. Baker has pipes. Again, she’s got a husky-sounding voice, but she’s powerful, still sexy, too. The music is tip-top on this jam, and it should be. The top session players at the time played on this album. Track 2 is You Bring Me Joy and this is a slow jam about her man. I dig this track. The chorus is a bit weird. It kind of sneaks out from nowhere. The music is immaculate. It sounds like they used a real sax on this track. I’m telling you, the way they set up the backing vocals, it sounds like something you’d hear from a church choir. In fact, I think this slow jam might not be for her man, but for her Man, as in God. Oh, she’s belting it out here. The vocals are better on this song than even Sweet Love. She’s more powerful than I thought. By the end, the song was giving me goosebumps. Track 3 is Caught Up in the Rapture, and we start out with some scatting, and I hate scatting and bebopping. Luckily, it doesn’t last long. Now we’re into the main groove, and it has that kind of electric piano I love. This is a baby-making song right here. I knew it. This was the third single off the album. I think I remember it. Though with more mature ears. I’m quite sure I was too stupid to appreciate it in 1986. This song didn’t do as well as Sweet Love, but it did reach #37 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, and it hit #6 on the Hot Black Singles chart and #9 on the Adult Contemporary chart. Track 4 is Been So Long, and we’re sticking with the baby-making grooves. I don’t mind one bit. Her voice sounds different on this song. I like it. It’s a little lower and softer. I wondered where she went, and it seems like she stopped recording about 20 years ago, but she toured as recently as last year. I wonder if she still sounds as good today? I’d imagine her voice is powerful enough that with good care, she’ll sound great until she moves on to that big jazz club in the sky. Whoa, Baker is really tossing out the vocal gymnastics at the end, scatting and bebopping. She was probably born too late and needed to have been born in the heyday of jazz singers and jazz clubs. She would have packed them in. Track 5 is Mystery, and let’s see if we can keep the good times rolling. This song starts a bit weird. It sounds almost contemporary. The only thing betraying its age is the bass sound. It was a popular style in the 80s, so of course everyone had to use it until it drove me crazy. This song has a great chorus. I swear I’ve heard it before, but it wasn’t released as a single. There is this fleeting sound that flies from one ear to the other, and it sounds like a phone ringing. It’s quite annoying, but it’s not a constant thing. This song would be 5 stars, but the ringtone really gives me a little shot of dread when I hear it, 3 stars. It reminds me of a phone ringtone from an old job. Track 6 is No One in the World and it was the fifth and last single released from the album. This song sounds almost country to me. Baker is singing this right in the sweet spot of her voice. It’s not too high or too low, and she has the most power in this octave… if I used octave right. It’s a bit corny, and I’m sure I would have trashed it 30 years ago, but I really like this song. It seems like this kind of song doesn’t exist anymore. Everything is sterile and made and sung by robots these days, at least in pop music. Track 7 is Same Ole Love (365 Days a Year), and this was a single off the album, the fourth to be exact. The music video for this song was directed by Michael Bay. This and No One in the World were big hits on the Hot Black Singles and Adult Contemporary Charts. This song is a bit funkier than the rest on here. It reminds me of a Wham! Or a George Michael song. I’m not sure. I think it has shades of Everything She Wants from Wham! Which is a banger, by the way. Track 8 is Watch Your Step and it was the first single off the album. It reminds me of the Ray Stevens Cannonball Run theme song. I love that song. This song sounds a bit more pop than R&B. Apparently, Baker had her heart broken by a player, and she’s warning him that one day he’ll hurt like she hurts. Oooh, I like this bridge here. It’s giving her a chance to belt it out. Baker has an incredible voice. I have no idea why you don’t hear more about her. She sounded like Aretha right there. She really turns it loose on this song. I think that’s the first time I've heard her go Aretha. I loved this album. I’m not saying it’s my new favorite, and I’m going to listen to it over and over and over. But I thoroughly enjoyed myself, and I can see this being among the 1,001 albums you should hear. If you like good old-fashioned R&B or soul music and you kind of missed the 80s version of it, then check this album out.

I can't unheard the MF DOOM and MF GRIMM samples.

I loved this. Very very relaxing and enjoyable listen. Sweet Love is an excellent dong

Baby maker

beautiful n soulful

Stellar. Nothing outside the ordinary but fantastic regardless

4/5

Smooth as butter, baby.

De buenas a primeras, pude indentificar que "Sweet Love" fue empleada por MF DOOM en la canción "Hoe Cakes" de su aclamado álbum "MM Food". Siempre es divertido identificar pistas que el villano utilizó en su amplio catálogo de beats. Dicho esto, no conocía nada de Anita Baker, y algo que ya puedo decir es que me ha gustado más que otros álbumes de R&B que escuchado en esta misma lista. Algo que también aprecio de este LP es su corta duración de 37 minutos; duración que es fácilmente duplicada en proyectos del género más contemporáneos- y algo que, en la opinión, de quien escribe, es una debilidad, ya que es fácil para quien escucha perderse o no identificar al intención de los artistas. En otras, palabras, casi siempre menos es más y este disco encapsula este a la perfección. La voz de Baker, ubicada más cerca de las notas bajas, evoca de cierta forma a Nina Simone. La voz de la Anita hipnotiza acompañada de un bajo exquisitamente grabado (e interpretado por más de 4 músicos). Este disco también tiene a su favor que la producción se escucha más como "City Pop" que pop estadounidense de los '80s. Entiendo por qué "Rapture" se encuentra en la lista de los 1001 álbumes que hay que escuchar antes de morir, y lo volvería a escuchar a pesar de que el R&B no sea mi genero favorito. Pistas destacadas Sweet Love You Bring Me Joy Caught in the Rapture Been So Long Mystery (Canción favorita, por favor escúchenla) No One In The World Same Ole Love Watch Your Step

thought it was pretty fun!

85

Soulful, funky, and groovy. The bass playing does a lot of heavy lifting on this album, and I don't think I've ever heard a black female singer that isn't immensely skilled. this album is extremely well produced as well. It sounds very much like a It sounds very much like a 80s record due to the kinds of sounds on display, but The arrangements have so many funky details that it doesn't bother me at all.

Wow I love this! It reminds me of city pop, and the vocals are phenomenal.

this is yacht rock for the ladeez

What a nice chill album to listen to, I don’t think I’ve ever heard any of these songs, but I wouldn’t mind giving it another listen.

I'm a sucker for mellow 80s R&B music. Wonderful album.

im ngl i almost skipped bc it was bothering me that this wasn't a put together stream piece released on spotify but solid listen, easy breezy listening. great on a sunny day. great productions and vocals

Voz bonita, linda. Produção reconfortante e simples. Disco saboroso demais pra se ouvir relaxadamente sem pensar muito. Acalma o espírito. Totalmente clássico. Peça chave em toda coleção, para propósitos curativos. Difícil não se sentir bem ouvindo essas canções. 4/5

golden voice.

This is #day621 of my #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie challenge, and… here's some quiet storm from the mid-'80s, right? At least now I know what to call this kind of smooth, jazz-influenced R&B. Believe it or not, I'd never heard of Anita Baker. Listening to this record late into the night, as I'm doing right now, feels like the perfect setting for it. I'm not completely sold on the soulful vocals, but those big drums and keys, and that unmistakable soft rock production, steal my '80s heart. Now I know what to put on if I run out of Sade. This is a 4 out of 5. Looking forward to #day622.

Timeless

I’d heard of Anita Baker before, but hadn’t listened to her. Great soul album

Holy shit, an artist that can sing and musicians who can string a melody together!! How did it slip into this list? Plus one for being normal.

Awesome 80s synth bass with a funky melody throughout. The 80s aesthetic is on display, giving these love songs a rhythmic flow. Tight album at under an hour.

I know a lot more of this album than I thought I did. She got a ton of radio play when this came out and I wasn't driving yet so I'm betting my parents listening to the adult contemporary station is why. It's not a bad album, her voice is great, nothing ground breaking lyrically or musically sadly. Seriously her talent is what carries the album. I question it being on the list but it's far better than another British Electronica album.

Loved this more than I thought I would. This music is not my cup of tea but her - I like.

this album really is flawless. tight instrumentation, immaculate production, perfect singing from Baker and backup vocalists. everything is clean and beautiful and sexy. the fade out are pretty annoying. i was a bit surprised by the MF DOOM sample jumpscare on the first track

Very cool

That smooth adult R&B that hit your waves in the mid 80s.

4/5

Ah, Sweet Love brings me back! I can't say I've heard the rest of the album, though. Should be a nice, easy listen. Her voice is good, but I really enjoy the music on here. The bass, keys, jazzy elements, all of it. It's a banger 80's album. Altogether, I think this is a 4.

Another, 'they don't make them like they used to' performer. R and B with great melodies and hooks and not just yodeling and auto tune.

Sunny soft clouds also I have a lot of respect for a 36 minute album

she's like a warm hug

Watch your step an absolute banger

Beautiful representation of an R&B record. This was one of MF Doom's favorites as he pulled some great samples from this for his own beats. Anita has a beautiful voice that serenades the ears so nicely. The instrumentation is groovy, funky and enchanting. Every track complements Anita very nicely and makes this a really nice listen overall.

Great 80’s sound with really nice instrumentations.

Sweet love, sweet Jesus this was smooth.

From Vinyl.

Lowkey velvety.

Good R&B album and great singing

De-li-lahhhhh, love someone toniiiiiite

Smooth, soulful. Sweet Love is beautiful. Definitely quiet storm material.

“ Ridin’ in my GNX with Anita Baker in the tape deck, it’s gon’ be a sweet love” - Kendrick Lamar This album and Kendrick Lamar’s newest album GNX were both quietly released. They both performed very well regardless of the lack of promotion. We will see if they both collect multiple Grammy awards tomorrow evening. Where the album GNX is nominated for nine Grammys! I’m sure Kendrick’s inspiration of the idea came from Anita in showing dominance over the music industry. Not allowing labels, marketing and promotion to influence or control their art. Listening to Anita Baker and knowing the influence she has had on one of my favourite artists brings another level of appreciation for her music. I wish I had more time to appreciate this album today and listen to it more attentively. But Speed Climbing Nationals kept me busy from 6am till 9pm. So at least I managed to play through the album before doing it again tomorrow.

Hey, I own this one on vinyl! What a voice. Instead of the jazz career she could have had, she chose to make records that sold, so yeah, it's a little commercial-sounding, but it's still miles better than, say, that Tina Turner album of the same era.

Beautiful vocals, love the vibe. A really nice album to listen to

Sweet Love 4.2 You Bring Me Joy 3.6 Caught Up in the Rapture 3.7 Been So Long 3.5 Mystery 3.6 No One in the World 3.4 Same Ole Love (365 Days a Year) 3.6 Watch Your Step 3.3 Score: 3.6125

Pretty good.

A pleasant listen. Not my style of music, but it was nice to listen to. Nothing objectionable here.

This was a nice album to listen to. The vibe and vocals were spot on.

A beautiful voice!

So talented

Nothing revolutionary, Anita's just got a great voice. Some here don't like the 80s production, I don't mind it. I quite like the bass in them. Couldn't quite decide between a 3 or a 4. Thought I'd be nice today. The things I do for you, Anita.

4.5 now we are talking music

Wow, this one certainly conjures up memories. 4

i liked this album - v easy listening.

Strong voice and solid tunes. Will defo be listening to this one again

I’m not typically an 80s fan in terms of production/style, but goddamn did this album blow me away. The production is tight layered complex, and Anita Baker’s vocals reign supreme through the synths, keyboards, basslines, ect. This was a pleasant surprise and just when I was going to check in with how much more listening I had left, it turns out I was halfway through the last track

Multiple hits and under 40 minutes? Queen behavior.

I was happy about this one

Timeless album ain’t shit else to say bout it

damn Anita has some great pipes and the band behind her supports her well. Those bass lines are so frickin good. Its shy of being truly great but its still deserving of a thorough listen. Same Ole Love was a smash hit for me, maybe because its a little more upbeat and energetic while the majority of the album feels like some good ballads to bang to.

Fun fact… “Same Ole Love” by lovetempo was my number one song on my Spotify wrapped 2025. Had no idea it was a cover and wow what a delight to hear the original. This album was very enjoyable, the saxophones ripped and Anita had a stellar voice. It was just missing to really put it over the top. But overall I enjoyed it!

No podría decir nada malo de Anita Baker. Bangers. Tendré que escuchármelo mejor pero qué guay estar escuchándome estos clasicazos por primera vez en mi vida. Creo que de eso se trata.

i will always have such a sweet spot for 80's soul... beautiful voice and great synths. two elements that make anything peak (don't quote me on this)

And that's why they call her the velour fog? The production sounds dated, but her voice sure doesn't! Really nice, sumptuous.

Great vocalist. Enjoyed the album a lot. Indeed white wine mom music but not a sloutch and some good diversity throughtout the album. Felt like a shakeup from the previous albums as well

This album was a pleasant surprise. I expected to enjoy the songs on their own, but get kinda bored by song 2-3 as I often do. But it kept me hooked, Anita Parker's voice just kept giving so much. Every song again I fell in love with this album. This album makes me want to get an LP player, because this feels like the ideal LP to on a dark evening. 7.5/10

I’m not much for eighties R&B, but if you are, this is a go to album. The lady had chops.

Maybe I am a middle aged mom at heart, cus I actually enjoy this. It is super sappy but idk, it's a vibe. The middle drags a bit though.

Pretty sure Sweet Love is the core sample of MF DOOM's Hoe Cakes. Love what DOOM did with this, but the original has soul to it. Mystery is dope. Something about the bassline makes me think of Regulate by Warren G. YouTube listening experience still blows, but Anita Baker certainly had some pipes. This may be thick with 80s cheese, but I enjoyed this more than I didn't. Her vocals are exceptional and the instrumentals (while occasionally cheesy in line with the times) are soulful. I'm a low low 4 here.

Love me some "quiet storm". Beautiful vocalist with some incredible support to boot. Basslines go crazy on some songs. This is about what I expected from an 80's R&B album -- maybe a little less cheese than I expected.

When I started listening to this album I didn't know what to expect and, honestly, I thought I wouldn't like it that much. But, as I got in the mood and the songs went on... Well, I mean, wow! I've loved listening to this album.

Smooth

Gorgeous, soulful, reminds me of driving in Mum's car 3/4

Awesome love making album to share with your partner

Fun. I know Sweet Love from M Beat's jungle version, but the whole album is full of fun, danceable, enjoyable songs. I can't say it left a strong emotional imprint, but not everything has to be Radiohead, does it?

Sweet and soulful, this is a very good album.

uuh sie cha singe und uuuh d songs sind mega mega jazzy und so. mega dan mega soul huere cool die erste zwei. ok been so long chillt nöd würklich mitem cheese hä. schono viel chäs. aso chani handle chani au fiire. aber jo dick uftreit. mystery ischmer denn irgendwenn gnueg mit de cheesiness. sehr viel. no one in the world isch au etz nöd gad subtil. seehr guet gschriebe gspielt und alles. aber find d production gad chli viel. same ole love mega fönky sehr cool. watch your step au saaauguete song. saxophon so cheesy im hintergrund haha. und es muess immer en DX7 no mitspiele oder? boh all star band jo! paulinho da costa paul griffin hallou. sax solo slappt. scho fast e vieri glaub. schono guet das album. production ischmer chli zu cheesy zum teil und d schnulze sind SCHNULZIG. aber guet.

Day649 - anita baker has such a smooth voice. rapture and sweet love are amazing

Very good.

Cool

I grew up to this album and remember it being quite good. It still holds up even after discovering in my adulthood that I'm not a fan of R&B. But this album is well made even when the lead singer has such a deep voice it can become distracting. The lead single "Sweet Love" is the album's zenith but everything else is solid. Overall, very strong album in a genre I don't typically enjoy. No skips.

Anita has a beautiful voice that is well supported by the backing instrumentals. I wouldn't choose to listen to this because it doesn't fit the vibe of music that I listen to, but I'm not disappointed in the slightest. The album felt short, it didn't drag on longer than it needed to. I couldn't be happier.

Yeah, I really like this album. Very heavy on the piano and bass and that works perfectly here. Now, the star of the show is the amazing vocal performance. The lyrics might be pretty standard, but that doesn't matter when they sound amazing. I don't listen to this genre, but I would definitely come back to this album in the future. It sounds like music my mom would listen to and I like most of what she listens to, so that's good.

Anita Baker is one of those standard-bearers of Soul. "Sweet Love" is such a classic, and I really enjoyed the album.

Very good voice, well put together.

I never listen to this genre, but if I did this album would be on my go-to list of albums.

not my style, but good album, initially was a 3, but "same ole love" and "watch your step" at the end increased it to 4

Very Sade. Which is a compliment

Some people need this album prescribed to them. Anita’s voice is so soothing.

Tough rating!

why haven't I heard of it before?

Perfectly listenable, very inoffensive, nothing too special but I liked the vibe

Seems more reserved than what she's probably capable of, but the smooth pop/jazz sound just hits my ear right

Sjunger helt magiskt. Utan tvekan. I övrigt är det rätt bra. Sweet love är bäst. Sen är det inte min favoritgenre. Rösten petar upp till fyra!

I like how the album feels like a handful of love letters, I think the best song in the album is "Sweet Love" but i think thats a common opinion. I had never heard her of Anita Baker before this, but her vocals are amazing. Overall glad I heard this album

General thoughts: I was expecting nothing, I've heard of Anita Baker before but didn't know her songs nor her status as an artist. Anita's voice is delightful and matches the genre perfectly, this is very apparent the first instant you listen to Rapture. The tracklist is pretty solid. The sound is very classy, like r&b, very soulful, very 80s. I can [easily] see any of this album songs as a sample in one of these modern micro-genres, 'cause it also feels a lot like a less-funky citypop, probably because the chorus of all songs are delivered with a lot of emotion. Songs are always catchy, some may fall short during the verses. Sometimes songs that rely heavily in the voice and emotion tend to lose musical structure, this is not an issue here. I dont know how I would react to a second album with this same line of content though. I'm not the target. All the lyrics are about love, that can be chessy and tiring in the long run. If you are in the mood or see your love situation reflected in the lyrics this is potentially magic though and probably resonates with a lot of people. This is probably a great album for sex lol. Outstanding song(s): Watch Your Step, Sweet Love Weakest song(s): None particularly Cover: I like the classiness and fragility that the posture express, a bit sorrowful even. Its very fitting of the genre and general tone of the album. Real rating: 4.18

Pure class. Simple and sweet with an impeccable voice and skilled and tasteful (if safe) playing throughout. Easy listening it may be but ease (and calm) is a vastly underappreciated musical quality today.

This album has some keepers! The production is amazing. Almost like City Pop echoes

Easy listening, so much soul. Opens with Sweet Love. Great vibes

Soul that feels larger than life. Despite a lull in the middle, this is overall super consistent and the kind of album anyone can enjoy.

Not many songs from the album are available on Spotify, but I was familar with them.

This was a great R&B album that was full of soulful and beautiful songs! I definitely remember my mom playing and singing “Sweet Love” when I was little and it’s still a bop. I would definitely vibe to this album again in the future depending on my mood!

Smooth-jazzy analog zu Sade. Easy listen. Schöne Baselines. Gute Hintergrund und Arbeitsmusik. "Caught Up in the Rapture" intro ähnlich zu "Turn of a Friendly Card" von Alan Parsons Project.

Rapture is a smooth and sophisticated work, built around Anita Baker’s vocals with minimalist arrangements. In a way, it sounds both older (lacking typical ‘80s signifiers) and modern in its timelessness. Anita Baker joins the ranks of gorgeous singers I feel I should love more. Her voice is beautiful: soothing, sensual, impeccably controlled. Yet soul music rarely moves me beyond aesthetic admiration, it seldom reaches that deeper emotional resonance.

Short and sweet

Great vocals

Very nice, sweet-voiced singer and easy listening songs

SO GOOD. This came just in time as the last few albums just didn’t seem like they really belonged, but Anita’s talent makes her inclusion on this a no brainer.

'I'm caught up in the rapture of love / Nothing else can compare.' Not as smooth as Sade, or as dynamite as Smokey Robinson, Anita Baker still spawns two classic tracks: 'Sweet Love' and 'Caught Up in the Rapture.' The other songs are not as memorable, tho her voice is, w/ underrated scatting abilities and a sexuality to boot: a quiet storm, perhaps, but also tempestuous, full-bodied. 'Mystery' reminds me of Eddie Holman's 'Lonely Girl'; the rest, of what's to come in R&B. For that, I'd happily listen again. Specially, w/ red wine and not a whole lot to wear.

Så mysig, bra!

The end of the 80’s.

Back when people really be singing

FINAL REVIEW 4/5. A dreamily produced, sensual, and romantic album made by a vocalist whose passion can be felt in the sound of her voice. I think what I wrote in my last note really captures how I feel about this album, so I'm not going to repeat myself lol. NOTES 5:51 am - ive heard this name before, but i dont know anything about her. time to check it out, then!! 5:52 am - this album isnt on spotify :( i will check youtube then 5:55 am - only like a minute in and i love it. i actually know this song too??? lol idk from where. but this is the kind of r&b i really love, so lush and dreamy~ 6:13 pm - i didnt end up listening to the album last night (morning?) bc i got tired, so i just did now, and uuughhhhh it's so pretty. i wish we had half-ratings, bc to me this is a 4.5. like its pretty much perfect, but like my five star standard is "is it was good as the albums on this list that i've heard before this project and would call a 5/5" (ftr, those are pet sounds by the beach boys, hounds of love by kate bush, heaven or las vegas by cocteau twins, discovery by daft punk, and to pimp a butterfly by kendrick lamar) and it doesn't quite reach that. but, nonetheless, it is an absolutely beautiful album, and anita baker's voice is just so powerful and emotive and incredible. the lush, sensual production and yearning lyrics highlight it so perfectly. i can absolutely understand why this style was called "quiet storm", as it really does bring to mind the feeling of staying inside during a storm, curled up with someone you love. i'm honestly just going to do my second listen right now. this might even get a third. who knows.

Exceptional vocals and great instrumentation. The lyrics are a bit trite at times, but it's nothing egregious.

Only listened to half of it. May be worth a listen on YouTube.

Beautiful 80s production, amazing voice; you'd have to be a bit soulless to not enjoy this on any level. Favourite tracks: Sweet Love (it's incredible), Caught Up in the Rapture, Been so Long, Watch Your Step (I swear this reminds me of a Sonic 3 song, but can't quite place which).

Nicht meine Musik, aber super umgesetzt und es macht Spaß, das zu hören. Gute Songs.

Sweet Love is gorgeous and the rest of the album holds up. Rapture feels like the kind of R&B/pop album that has gone on to be super influential and listening to it has so many echoes of future artists to come.

Unfortunately had to go to YouTube for this one, but Anita baker crooning over beautiful toons that span the emotions makes it worthwhile.

Good 80s soul

NICE

Cool

This is exactly what I needed that evening.

Very 80s production but the voice is amazing. Turn down the lights.

Fond memories of taking Mom to see this tour.

Smooth as whipped butter. And SO mid 80’s. My 12 year old self hated this music. My 50 year old self begs to differ. I have no doubt that many a baby has been made to this music. Anita’s voice exists in its own universe much like Sade and Hope Sandoval of Mazzy Star. When you find a voice that resonates with your soul, it’s sometimes hard to accept that they are the only person who sounds like that.

love the soul sound of this album! 4/5 #musicsky #albumsky

Y'know, I'm no enemy, exactly, to Quiet Storm — or even softer styles of pop in general, for that matter. As much as I wanna act like I have serious, sophisticated taste in music, sometimes I just want something lighter and maybe a bit chintzy. And, I mean, like, sure, this kind of music might be softened down significantly from what soul in the 70's was, and it might even be a little gentrified depending on how you look at it... But damn it, sometimes you get cravings, and stuff like this can hit that exact spot for me. Seriously, you can hate this kind of production for being dated, but for me, it ain't no thing. I love that kind of 80's soft pop sound — I mean, do you think I like "Versace On The Floor" as much as I do for nothing? And heck, I'd almost argue this is the platonic ideal of it. Honestly now... Like, look, this is the kind of music where you're not supposed to expect too much going into it. Or heck, you're maybe not even supposed to completely listen to it. It's wallpaper for baby-making, and while you could argue that there's better material for it... Well, I'm never gonna have first-hand experience, but I doubt it wouldn't work just fine and dandy. And even outside of that context, it's just nice stuff to vibe and lightly groove to. And if nothing else, Anita Baker **does** have a lovely voice. I'unno if she has a spot on the list of all-time female soul greats, and certainly I don't have the experience to make that kind of call myself, although I wouldn't be surprised if she was on that list. Now, I don't wanna inflate this thing up too much; it's still soft pop, and if you're just not in the frame of mind to just chill to it... Well, I'unno what to tell you. For my money, however, yeah. It didn't rapture me, but I'll still give it my full endorsement. Good stuff. (Shame, by the way, that apparently this full album isn't on Spotify in America? One of the many pluses to being Canadian, I guess — or a minus, depending on how much you like this album. I mean, us having this on Spotify is sure better than us having SPY HARD on Disney+, let me tell you...)

Overall, just some pretty good R&B. 4.5 bumped down to 4.

I’m at a 4. I knew I recognized the name Anita Baker from something; Sweet Love is what MF DOOM sampled for Hoe Cakes. I don’t know why it didn’t click until listening to it. Past that though, how does Anita Baker actually stack up as an R&B artist within that sort of pseudo ”quiet storm” prototype phase, before it went ballistic in the ‘90s? Well, I think she did pretty good. Ultimately, her vocals sound great, the instrumentals are really nice (if a bit repetitive when paying too much attention), and the general structure of each track finds a pretty nice groove. I liked a lot of this album. I’ll admit, a few tracks took multiple listens to really click for me here, but I think my approach to listening was a little too methodical at first. I didn’t really give myself that room to just relax and enjoy the songs for what they were, because I found myself too focused on the “flow” of each track (i.e., a little too focused on lyrics/structure). I’m glad I made the adjustment to literally just chill out, because the vibe of each track came through way more clearly, and it allowed my ears to pick up on a lot of nuances I was missing otherwise. With all of that said, there are points where you can tell the outros are heavy on padding, or the breaks between choruses/verses are a bit long. However, those moments don’t detract from the songs at an individual level too badly. They just build up over the course of the album to a point where it becomes a nuisance, and that’s partially why I’m at a 4. I’m also at a 4 because for as nice as this is, this does tread over the same ground a few times, and the general instrumentation does feel sort of the same for a good chunk of the album. There’s lots of great production tricks to sort of disguise that, and each track does feel really nice to listen to, but the spectacle of Anita Baker’s voice can only cover those little spots up for so long. So, yeah, I’m at a 4, but it’s a pretty nice 4. At the very least, it’s some damn smooth R&B – perhaps a little overproduced, and not quite at the same pure emotional level as someone like Aretha Franklin, but I think that comparison is a bit unfair to begin with. I feel like 80s R&B is a different style entirely, with the shadow of Quincy Jones’ production on Thriller hanging over a lot of the decade. Comparing it to the 60s or even the 70s feels sort of unfair. Regardless, I enjoy this style a lot, and I’m a pure sucker for it. Hence, the 4.

American city pop Jokes aside very very groovy. A bit short and the last song is the best

Such a voice

Awesome

1. Sweet Love - 8/10 2. You Bring Me Joy - 10/10 3. Caught Up in the Rapture - 8.5/10 4. Been so Long - 8.4/10 5. Mystery - 8/10 6. No One in the World - 8/10 7. Same Ole Love (365 Days a Week) - 8.5/10 8. Watch Your Step - 8/10 8.5/10

De opener "Sweet Love" is echt ziek, met die MF Doom-sample. "Caught Up in the Rapture" ken ik ook als sample, net als "Been So Long" (mijn persoonlijke favoriet van de plaat). "Mystery" is ook fantastisch. Allemaal uitstekende quiet storm. De afsluiter "Watch Your Step" valt daardoor ietwat uit de toon, maar over het algemeen is dit een welkome afwisseling na alle nerdrock van de afgelopen week.

This was such a beautiful album, truly a treat. Baker's voice is incredible, she really came out of nowhere with an instant classic.

Definitely the kind of album that will appeal more to the people who were around when it came out. Not really sure there's anything special here, but I enjoyed listening to it. Just below 4 stars but I'm rounding up

Just a fantastic album!

Didn’t love every song, it’s mostly forgettable, but I enjoyed it. There’s some kick ass bass and “Sweet Love” is a top track. It’s a high 3, low 4.

Hoe Cakes! I thought this was a very solid, smooth easy-listening album. Classy, not too tainted with 80s stank. Fave Tracks: Sweet Love, Caught Up In the Rapture 3.9/5

It was a nice background album, I got the feeling I should be actively listening though. I'll have to listen to it again sometime. Beautiful voice and some tight bass lines.

A very nice example of 80s pop at its finest. Sweet Love is the highlight, but the other songs on the album are equally enjoyable.

It feels harsh to disgregard this album as not being very ambitious, as a lot of the tracks can feel quite similar. That being said I can't say I wasn't enjoying any bit of this. Baker's soothing & soulful vocals and the 80's, almost city pop style of the instrumentals brings a vibe that really compliments a laid back night/afternoon.

This is someone’s Mum’s favourite album of all time to sink Shiraz and Valium to. In terms of production this is sonically reminiscent of every Japanese pop album (subgenres “city pop” aka Vaporwave samples). I do not remember a single lyric from this album but think I got the general idea. Ms Baker has a lovely voice and despite her Grammy wins I can see why she isn’t exactly a household name in 2025, as no song on this album really distinguishes itself or stands out as a hit. I enjoyed it, and it was a tight 35 minutes.

Like a Sade I like less but still really good. She has a super unique voice and her music/singing is solid.

A great album to drink chardonnay to under the lights of pink neon

Yes! A Perfect Album for a rainy day in the office. Smooth, Crip, and you can feel the emptions in the music. It might have caught me on the right day but ... yeah

This is definitely not my cup of tea and not what I would choose to listen to. Nevertheless and notwithstanding I really enjoyed this on a Monday afternoon drive. I probably wouldn’t have ever found this album but it was that R&B style that grabbed me. Reminded me of childhood even not having heard this album or any of Anita’s stuff. Plus the bass lines with ki-kass.

Really good. Maybe even a 5. Great city pop and yacht rock vibes.

Never appreciated Anita Baker or any other soul album for that matter, but this is a very good one. Definitely worth a re listen

Enjoyed this a lot more than I expected to

Sweet Love .. vom ersten Ton weg eingekuschelt in diese starke Stimme und den 80er-Pop-Teppich. Easy Listening. Und habe ich es schon angemerkt? Starke Stimme!

Enjoyable. Smooth. Made me so sleepy though, but that's because it was smooth lol

80s soul bangers front to back, elevated by Anita’s wonderful presence. Wish it was on Spotify!

What a voice – and what a singer. This is the ulitmate in smooth, stylish and urbane, jazz-inflected R&B. Seems a bit classier than much of the satin-besheeted quiet storm. One hears coherence where others might be tempted to say same-y. There's a timeless quality to the singing and the mellow grooves of the band. Three or four first-rate cuts put this over the top. It's encouraging when commercial success finds such a traditional and high-quality (and non-gimmicky, non-trendy) record (although the low rating suggests the 1,001 crowd may overlook some of the quality. Not sure about the cover photo, though.

She’s a legend. Pure joy in that voice. Well done.

Top shelf, soulful pop. Baker has a beautiful voice that has next when she needs it. Avoids the musical cliches and novelty of the time the result is emotionally rich and tuneful.

Approached this with trepidation, having lovely memories of road trips playing this as sunsets disappeared over the horizon. But that was the 1980s, the roads were invariably littered with roadworks and I suspect that it might have rained more than my memory recalled. Would the album hold up? Yeah...of course it did

Anita Baker has a sumptuous voice and this material is well suited to it. Sweet Love is a worthy standout track but there are plenty of other decent tunes on here

Yeah this album is pretty damn good, but I'm not sure why it isn't on spotify. Seems random. But I had a good time listening to it, Baker really goes for it on some of those notes

Anita Baker has a voice of our lifetimes. It does make me a little sad when one of the great soul/R&B/jazz singers releases such a pandering 80's pop album but it is still beautiful. Just gives movie soundtrack vibes more than smooth whisky and clove-cigarettes in a dark Detroit bar vibes. "caught Up In The Rapture" should be a required wedding dance, though.

Very lovely music, performed beautifully. Perhaps a bit bland from today's perspective, but still rather good.

Not really what I tend to gravitate to, but I knew the name and was pretty sure I knew one of the songs. Knew the first one right off, yep. Oh, there's another one. And that one too. Damn, I never knew.... I think the entirety of this album is recognizable through various media. Respect.

Kind of an unexpected selection, but very nice album. Maybe my mind is just melted from so much vaporwave, but I just love these cheesy 80s instrumentals. 7/10

Who else found out about Anita Baker from the secret music video Zach Galifinakis made for "You Bring Me Joy" on his LIVE AT THE PURPLE ONION DVD? Just me? okay. Cool cool cool. What a freakin voice.

real nice

This had something good going on. It was too bad it was so short.

I remember these hits…

magical voice and emotions

Great voice. Great album.

Listening to this transported me back to college when my roommate was playing it on repeat. For sure it calls for a specific mood and probably a bit cheesy by today’s standards but whatever. I’m giving it a 4 for causing me to sing aloud loudly and reminisce on some pretty good times.

4/5. I have heard albums like this and although it has been done before, still a great listen. Strong voice with jamming background vocals and instruments in each song. Some jazzy vocals along with slow pop really escalates this one. To be fair, not every song is a banger, and the first half is much stronger than the second half. Overall, I think an excellent listening experience with only a few downsides. Best Song: Sweet Love, You Bring Me Joy, Caught Up In The Rapture

I'll never have any qualms or complaints about music that sounds like this. I mean, this Anita Baker album has it all - the vocals, the bubbly basslines, the blissful synths, and those lyrics that deeply capture the hot and cold feelings of love. Well, nothing here is particularly "cold" sounding per se, this might literally be the warmest, coziest, and heartiest an album can possibly sound - but a song like 'Been so Long' still manages to evoke the feeling that something is gravely missing. '80s RnB and Soul was a weird time for the genre, fusing those overtly synthetic '80s sounds with the vocal style that dominated the genre in the previous decades. I mean after this, mainstream RnB would only grow more accustomed to the sounds of electronic music and only stray further away from those jazzier elements that encompassed the genre's roots. This liminal era of the genre can risk coming off as outdated, but that's not the case here by any means - Anita's vocal talents alongside the talents of the production crew are undeniable. It's lush, powerful, and emotive - a nice, clean listen if there ever was one.

Always liked this album. Favorites were Sweet Love, Caught Up In the Rapture, Mystery, No One In the World, Same Ole Love My dad had "No One In the World" on a mixtape of his favorites, so my appreciation of this one goes back to an early age.

Some solid R&B here. Smooth and moody.

I would love to hear the jazzversion that Anita wanted. For now this will do.

Un bel album suave, aucun autre commentaire parce que j'suis en retard dans mon écoute donc je garde ça short

Complete surprise. Not usually my main type of listening but this was powerful, soulful and full of great songs. Plus the MF DOOM sample on the first song! Definitely something I’ll come back to.

I was surprised by the record. I thought it would be some generic 80s RnB bit it was so good! I like her voice and the instrumentation.

4 Incredible voice

Lush and seductive, like you’re listening to Anita perform in the coolest little jazz club. Loved it.

Musically great, great vocalist, great session musicians (as a bass player, I love the bass lines)... But the style of music, it just ain't for me... 80s soul, I cannot appreciate it, it fades into the background for me. Great music, but it does not connect with me.

El soul romántico, elegante y refinado de los 80 tuvo en Anita Baker una de sus máximas exponentes. Este fue su segundo álbum en solitario y con él ganó un Grammy y un disco de platino. El disco comienza con todo un clásico de todos los tiempos, "Sweet Love", y no le va a la zaga otra gran tema, "Caught Up in the Rapture". Ambas son dos baladas románticas en las que el soul se mezcla hasta casi pasar inadvertido con el R&B más pop, con influencias gospel e incluso con algunos pasajes de jazz. También me gustan dentro de su estilo "Same Ole Love (365 Days a Week)" y "No One In This World". No sorprende ni es rompedor, pero este disco es una pequeña joya para saborear.

Pretty good music I enjoyed her voice

This album was a terrific mix of 80s R&B, classic pop, and some gospel elements as well. I also loved the change of pacing from soulful slow jams to Whitney-esque bops to close out the record. Anita Baker's voice is great, and it's only highlighted by the backing singers as well. All in all a great listen and a good introduction to Ms. Baker for me. Notable Tracks: - You Bring Me Joy - great sax solo - Been So Long - Same Old Love (365 Days a Week) - Watch Your Step 7/10

Dit klinkt als heel veel andere dames uit deze periode. Relaxte jaren tachtig vrouwensoul, uit dezelfde koker als Oleta Adams, Randy Crawford en aanverwanten. Ik had nog nooit van het hele mens gehoord en het album bevat ook geen hit, maar het is prima gedaan en er staat geen nootje verkeerd. Iets minder keyboard en wat meer echte instrumenten had deze plaat geen kwaad gedaan, maar uiteindelijk gaat het om haar stem en daar is niks mis mee.

Great songs and performances - annoying production

I just really enjoyed this, gave me similar vibes to George Michael who’s a babe

Tunteikas kasarisouli! Hyvin menee Princen kaveriksi! 4/5

i liked this SO much more than i was expecting.. rly groovy - actually rly like the arrangements going on here, camp tho lbr

Favourite tracks: sweet love; you bring me joy; same old love

Great album, not sure I’ve heard any Anita Baker before but the name is famous. This was an awesome R&B type album, not sure it’s a current day type but for late 80’s it fits perfectly. Loved Caught Up in the Rapture and No One in the World.

This is a very good Soul album, informed by the best production qualities the 80s had to offer. 4/5

I enjoyed this. Lovely voice and good songs. Not the kind of thing I normally gravitate to but solid.

Lovely bit of drama to start the day

love soul music, could see myself playing drums alongside this

Great stuff!

So so good! Idk if I'll get hate for this but her voice reminds me of Michael McDonald - this is the biggest compliment coming from me!! Standouts: - Mystery - No one in the world - Watch your step is SO Michael McDonald coded

4.0

Good soulful R&B album, whitney houston vibes

goes hard tbh, too bad it’s not streaming anywhere

Smooth and classic. Worth your time.

This album felt like one long song for me, and not necessarily in a bad way. Production-wise it's exactly what you'd expect from a bunch of radio-friendly songs in the 80s; nothing unique or particularly inspiring. At the same time, the vocal delivery was phenomenal—without Anita Baker's incredible voice, Rapture would be just another generic soul-pop record. While I do think this record would have benefited from a bit more variety musically—the instrumentation gets a bit repetitive later on—its simple format still works. Overall, this was a really pleasant experience... and isn't that what music should be about? It doesn't always have to be groundbreaking or revolutionary to be good. A solid 3.5 for me, rounding it up to 4 because it has no skips and it's definitely something I'd play as a whole on a chilly November evening.

Great songs, great voice

When a woman with a voice as powerful as this can achieve the sweetest melodies, something special is certainly about to come. It wasn't a surprise at all. When I looked at the album cover I already expected to hear a spectacular voice and I was more than right. It was a pleasant surprise!

very nice onthe ears

This is a very cool album by a woman with a very capable voice. Rich sounds. So smooth.

I enjoyed it all the way, it's a bit dated but it still sounds good. Her voice is beautiful and unique.

A surprise 4+ for me. I remember the 80s pablum of pop R&B with mostly eyerolls. But as I’ve gotten older, I respect the craft of creating pleasant music highlighting a beautiful voice as an instrument a lot.

First track is great, rest is a OK.

I actually really like this. Reminds me a little of Never Too Much by LVD in terms of production, the bass, the guitar, the keyboards, backing vocals. Every song sounds like a single. It's short, the song are of a similar high quality.

loved it, soulful jazzy r&b. checked a lot of boxes

Classic, beautiful voice!

Album Nr. 61 Würde ich meinen Musikgeschmack fragen, hätte dieses Album lediglich eine 3 Sterne-Bewertung erhalten. Die gute Stimme von Anita Baker sowie die durch und durch gute Produktion des Albums heben diese Bewertung jedoch an.

Silky smooth eighties soul, Anita Baker’s luscious vocals over decent arrangements, this is maximum calm. The only thing it suffers from is that too perfect eighties polish which never makes it feel as real and earthy from preceding decades of soul.

Føler jeg har hørt alt før, men jeg elsker det. Sett på hele albumet på LP og nyt classic soul R&B å pule til og litt til.

Right out of the gate, Anita Baker's Rapture establishes itself as one of the 80s premier and absolute best R&B records; a near-perfect mélange of 70s soul vocalization and 80s synthetic compositions coming together to form a timeless collection. Favorites: Sweet Love, You Bring Me Joy, Caught Up in the Rapture, Been So Long, Same Ole Love (365 Days a Week).

Beautiful. Really liked the crooning singing, pseudo-jazz soul band. Feels like it could've been from an older era than the 1986 recording date, just a traditional sound instead of contemporary R&B.

вайб бешеный, музыка отличная, вокал тоже в порядке

очень очень добротно

Beautiful voice. Was a lovely album.

I thought this was going to be some old Jazz album; it was short but sweet.

This is such a smooth album. It flows from one track to the next. The arrangements are close to perfection – not bad with Anita Baker self-producing only her second album. All the talk at the time was mainly within the HiFi snobs market. It was the ideal record for showcasing your set up. Three decades later and the music does all the talking. It’s the perfect album length at only 37 minutes. What a voice.

That was a pleasant listen. It's always fun to listen to an album for the first time and recognize most of the tracks from the radio in my childhood. Same happened with the album Diamond Life by Sade. This album had a few dips in the middle, but otherwise was solid. 4/5

Tvö af Top 10 80s R&B lögunum mínum eru á þessari plötu. Ógurlega fallegt sánd, elska þetta.

Tasteful. I liked it.

Incredible singing and although I'm not usually a fan of 80's production, this album was nicely produced. I liked the concise run time because if this went over 50ish minutes I would've started to lose interest.

This is tath your mother listening on the sunday's morning

This was buttery smooth jams. Great voice.

i had never heard of anita baker before, and i can now acknowledge that not knowing this black woman with a stunning, jaw dropping voice is a crime! when she holds those high notes, i feel like my soul has transcended my body. what an absolutely delightful listen. i immediately began the album over again once i finished it. i'm obsessed with this jazzy and soulful r&b style, and i even learned of a new genre: quiet storm. the music doesn't throw itself in your face, and i think it could even be considered as understated. regardless, rapture is calm and lovely. in a music world that continues to be dominated by white men, anita baker is a joyful and refreshing inclusion.

I had heard of Anita Baker before, but I don't think I had ever heard any of her music before. Now that I have, I am here to tell you, this album is SMOOTH. AS. BUTTER. Anita hits and holds beautiful notes effortlessly and with precision here, against a backdrop of R&B and soul music. I think what makes this album a worthy inclusion is the little known 'quiet storm' genre -- essentially, R&B that is infused with some sensual-sounding, easy listening jazz. Most divas with this kind of voice belt in very dramatic ways, but Anita's approach on this album is incredibly subtle but effective...quite fitting of the genre. In addition, this genre had historically been mostly dominated by men, with women dabbled in. So while Anita Baker was not the originator of this genre, she certainly low-key mastered it from a female vocalist perspective! Furthermore, I can think of many female vocalists who came after this period who would mimic this style, no doubt inspired by Baker's performance here! Definitely baffled by the underperformance of this album on this project. For me, it falls at about a 3.5, so I definitely feel comfortable rounding up!

Banger

I think the thing that has made listening to one of these albums every day so enjoyable is to see where my consumption and enjoyment of certain kinds of music has evolved. I can’t say for certain whether or not I would have loved this album 5 to 6 months ago, since it doesn’t exactly fit the bill of that poppy 80’s music I speak so negatively about. But what I can say for certain is that I found this album absolutely wonderful. This is the perfect definition of short and sweet. Eight songs that are paced exceedingly well, that total to not even forty minutes of music. And it starts off insanely strong, with Sweet Love. Beyond my predisposed attachment to the song simply because it was sampled by MF DOOM, it is also just a great soul song. And nearly every song after that displays the same characteristics of the opening track, with bright synth patterns and high pitched picky guitars. It’s a kind of guitar tone that I feel doesn’t get enough love, and really only thrived in this era. I love how the vibe changes slightly once you reach the B-side. The music is the same, but everything gets a little slower and sexier. And on top of everything, Anita just happens to have one of the most lively and beautiful singing voices I've ever heard in soul music, and maybe just in general. And it goes pairs flawlessly with the sound of the record. This is soul music with real genuine soul. Rating: 8/10

What a voice.

Huge fan of 80's R&B. Thank you 97.9 WJLB and the Electrifying Mojo! Great voice, great sound and great music. Several of these songs I remember from the radio days. Makes me want to grab my beautiful wife of 30 years and just hold her in my arms all day long. Anyway, Anita has a strong, beautiful sound that is so effortless, you can't help but groove along. The kind of music you rarely hear these days or at least here in SW MI. The kind of music I miss the most. Pretty sure Sweet Love, You Bring Me Joy, Caught Up in the Rapture and Same Ole Love were on the regular play list on WJLB back in the day. All I know is the album triggered some good memories of getting introduced to a new genre of music growing up west of Detroit. Wonderful album. I wish it were on Spotify so I could let the genre play all day long. 4

So many good jams!!! So bummed its not on spotify! An MF Doom sample on Been so long, and a dancefloor jammer Watch your step, soo soo so awesome!

Pretty good, soul filled stuff

Would definitely listen again

Sweet Love - 8/10 You Bring Me Joy - 8/10 Caught Up in the Rapture - 9/10 Been so Long - 8/10 Mystery - 7/10 No One in the World - 8/10 Same Ol Love - 8/10 Watch Your Step - 8/10 TOTAL - 64/80