Rapture

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.

At first I was like: damn another genre I don't like. But then again like with Nina Simone (I know they have nothing in common) it surprised me. Very fun in a Stevie Wonder/Marvin Gaye (in some albums) way. Great vocals, great instrumentation (the synths were crazy in Caught Up in the Rapture), nothing to complain about. Maybe it's not getting a 4 or a 5 because I wasn't captivated enough, that doesn't mean I didn't enjoy the album 100% of the way. I'm just trynna be tough with the scores because I know there are some bangers coming my way. Also, Nina has one star more because she's just built different. Enough said!

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.

Really good soul album. First song is clearly the best but the whole album is very solid.

This was very nice. Felt like what my mom would listen to on the radio. Felt like every 80s adult contemporary song.

This was perfectly pleasant, but I've no idea why it is on the list. It could have been any of a dozen other singers from the same era who sound pretty much the same.

Another R&B album where every song sounds the same to me. Highly skippable despite her talent.

She undoubtedly has a great voice, but 80’s soft pop is not my jam.

Good voice, but very soft-pop songwriting and cheesy 80s instrumentation and arrangements. Forgettable, even while playing.

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

soulful, emotional, but not that interesting

meh, 2/10

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

it was nice but it didn't grip me.

An inoffensive if largely bland collection of light jazz influenced R&B tunes. In the right situation or mood this can be enjoyable, and there are a few strong tracks like the lead single "Sweet Love", but on the whole its its a bit too antiseptic.

Nice jams, listened to well starting of Beale Street Could Talk

Day 225 Lovely voice and I was surprised how many songs on here I already knew but not an album I’d return to at all Highlights Sweet love

3/5

Not for me. Too slow, too monotone. I don't mind some smooth R&B, but there needs to be something to break it up. This just dragged.

Very cool

Pleasant.

Kolejna gładka jak masełko płyta, która nie wzbudza we mnie żadnych emocji. Głos jak dzwon, ale te kompozycje, chociaż przyjemne są pozbawione emocjonalnej iskry. Nic nie czułam. 6/10.

I thought this album was 10/10 for the vibes, I thought all the songs were so good, reading other reviews that described it as 80s storm music and I liked that descibtion

Enjoyable 80s R&B. A bit repetitive but was feeling the smooth jazzy grooves.

So smooth and comforting

I like it Tbf there was some ok songs are there but it didn’t blow me away

Anita has an amazing voice, but this record is a snooze fest.

That awful glossy production drowns any hint of an interesting sound or song regardless of how good her voice or any of the musicians are. At least I learned about the quiet storm, but I will stay far away from it.

2.5

2.0

Overall very boring, not my kind of music. This is 80s pop, especially 80s black woman pop. Nothing about it, nothing at all, struck me as exceptional or different in any way from mass popular hits (except being less successful and catchy).

It's a shame the full album isn't on Spotify as there's a couple songs I wanted to save. Good album overall

Decent background R&B but no one was breaking much ground in the 80s

Honestly, I was expecting to enjoy this based on the cover photo and the "Jazz" label. I would never describe this as Jazz, because I like Jazz. Not sure what is going on here. What this appears to be is something called "Quiet Storm", which I gather is a style of soul with all the rough edges filed off; designed to appeal to people who were interesting back in the day, but by the 80s had decided to be boring. Anita Baker clearly has a good voice, I just don't know why she would do anything this dull with it. Some of these songs might be good if you retooled them, but the production on this album is so artificial and shiny that it sounds dated compared to music from several decades earlier. Maybe if you grew up with this kind of music it has a different impact. I don't know. I struggled to make it through. Judging by the fact that I have never heard of Anita Baker before now, I'd have to say this album has not stood the test of time. 1.5 rounded DOWN due to my vast disappointment.

Contemporary R&B is not a genre I am particularly fond of. That said, she has an incredibly powerful and pleasing voice. You bring me joy was quite incredible. I remember Caught up in the rapture from junior school. On the whole, it was ok. Nothing crazy and amazing. standard 3 stars

I need the smoothest soul you have. No, that's too smooth.

I don't really care to have an opinion on this one.

Adult Contemporary music is an insult to life itself.

Music for a 33-year-old bank teller who kicks off her heels after a long day at work, flopping into her beige couch in her “newish” Thousand Oaks condo in 1986. She pours herself a glass of Chablis and sets it down a bit carelessly on the glass-and-chrome coffee table. She gives her Persian, Mister Sniff, a few distracted scratches as she looks out the window, where you can almost see the ocean. Maybe Steven will call, and they can go out to eat tonight so she doesn’t have to cook another frozen dinner. But the answering machine light isn’t blinking, and the sun is beginning to set through the haze. She takes a swig of the wine, and sighs deeply. She’s tired. Music would help the mood. It’s Wednesday night, and she needs to feel good. Let’s see… what would be just right?

it's a crime it's not on Spotify

Great album. Smooth as can be and it has some real classics. Anita has a great voice. File this under gettin' naked music.

On the one hand, a smooth listen. On the other hand, not something I'd reach for again.

Couldn’t find it on Spotify, but I listened to a song elsewhere and it wasn’t my thing

Tja. Sikkert fint nok. Det var for generisk til at det rigtig fangede min opmærksomhed.

Storladet 80er R’n’B pop komplet med elektroniske trommer, saxofon og korsangere.

A Classic!! Will edit review in later - on Notes

Feels like an album comprised of the second songs from the credits of mid-90's John Grisham adaptations

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

Wonderful voice and production. But jeeezz this is boring

When done right jazzy soul like this is hard to beat and this is defintely done right

The definition of solid

Such a great voice, but the dated 80s overproduction is a killer. It ruins the songs. I'm sorry Anita, you are way better than this. They done you wrong.

Fine, but not my scene

Cheese

Couldn’t find the album

Nevidím veľké rozdiely medzi hudbou - zvukom A. B. a inými speváčkami z 80-tych rokov, akoby zvuk robili v jednom štúdiu... Nič zvláštne, trochu viac jazzu v tomto sladkom pole.

Nearly put me in a coma

I don't think I am familiar with Anita Baker at all, and I have never heard of the 'quiet storm' genre. Her voice is amazing, I just can't really get over the very 80s r&b production.

I'm not a fan of contemporary R&B, and this doesn't change my mind, unfortunately. The album has nice production and that's about all I can say for it.

It was alright I suppose, this is an album where (to me) nothing stands out too far to really comment on. The production doesn't stand out either - it's just typical 80s production - but some days safe, 80s-proudced, predictable albums/songs are good as a refresher after listening to some awful releases that list decides to chuck at you. Highlight Song/s: "Caught Up in the Rapture" and "Mystery"

4/5

so fucking good. criminal that some songs arent on spotify. so good, i might just go to youtube to listen every once in a while

Not really my general mood

Artiste inconnue. L'album est très 'Soul' et malheureusement trop peu 'Jazz' à mon gout (le classement en Jazz m'étonne !). Bien trop de chant, peu ou pas de chorus, je me suis vite ennuyé. Ceci dit l'album n'est pas désagréable en musique de fond ... =>2/5

Meh

She has an incredible voice and while the music isn't for me it's still worth listening to.

Only know Sweet Love which is nice. This is pleasant enough, easy to listen to, soulful music. And she can really sing. Apparently in 1986 this was NME's second best album of the year, after Parade. I can't see it myself, but also in the top 10 were Control by Janet Jackson, Evol by Sonic Youth, Word Up by Cameo, Graceland, Bend Sinister by The Fall, Raisin' Hell by Run DMC, The Queen Is Dead and Mantronix. Weird list.

Like, it’s fine or whatever, but not one banger. I wouldn’t know this album if I heard it again. It’s not BAD. Just… not banging with so much music in the world.

Remember this from the eighties when this type of stuff was popular, not heard it since then.

casual and smooth, but so heavily polished it becomes monotonous. Baker is clearly talented but is making a lot of poppy stylistic choices i'm not a fan of.

14/20 L'album s'écoute bien Sans forcément révolutionner la musique, ça reste plutôt agréable a écouter

Good grief. This album was a "straight to the waiting room" playlist. Two catchy songs, that were overproduced, and the rest that tried to sound exactly like the two catchy tunes. Of all the 80's R&B music, I can't believe that this is the one that was chosen, based solely on album sales.

Perfectly fine, great voice, but nothing stands out as excellent

Mucho gusto, Anita. Si Dios quiere no te vuelvo a escuchar.

Crapture

fuck, why??

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.

I listened

Just Because is my favorite Anita Baker song, unfortunately not present here

Great voice, ass material

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

not a stretch to assume a sizable amount of my cohort was conceived to this

Pretty standard, distinctly-80's production wraps up this nice package of beautiful singing.

I am shamelessly in love with soul music from the '60s and '70s. Once the hands of time turned to the '80s though, something changed. Anita has a great voice, but this is just lifeless synth/piano ballads that without vocals would feel at home in an elevator or dentist's waiting room. Soul should be felt as much as it is heard and this just doesn't do it.

5/5 Chill and a feel of nostalgia

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.

Better than I remembered. This was a big hit with my parents. Decent album.

It's a good album for its genre, but a shit genre

Good love songs and Anita Baker has a wonderful voice while still feeling powerful. Not really my taste in music, but still feels good.

Great 80’s sound with really nice instrumentations.

She certainly had her moment during the 80’s. Then largely disappeared from the forefront of culture.

So smooth it slides off my smooth brain

I have no use for this, it's uninspiring to listen to, and I find it distracting for its intended purpose. 80's synth horns and piano were particularly foul.

Pleasent listen with nice grooves and lovely singing. Solid 3.

Competent R and B music, and interesting contrast with FKA twigs later this week, Ms Baker really puts her chest in the singing.

Sweet love, sweet Jesus this was smooth.

Easy listen

Waste of a great voice. Inconsequential and uninspired easy listening trash. It doesn’t help that all the synths and backing tracks have the excitement and grandeur of the demo MIDI files bundled with my 1994 PC’s sound card.

From Vinyl.

wonderful voice and surely made an impact in r&b and soul pop but got bored quickly

Lowkey velvety.

Sweet Love Caught Up in the Rapture

Good R&B album and great singing

Well made, but unfortunately rather dated and forgettable. She's got a good voice and Sweet Love has stood the test of time relatively well, but the rest of the album errs towards the forgettable.

Langweilig und völlig Highlightlos

Gute Sängerin aber jeder Song klingt gleich. Ich werde morgen vergessen haben, dass dieses Album existiert

Lovely voice and an epic song earn some respect. Otherwise just generic R&B lady crooing.

A lovely voice and an album that fits the ’80s perfectly. Smooth, polished, and full of that classic pop–soul sound the decade did so well. If you’re a fan of ’80s pop, you’d probably enjoy this quite a bit.

De-li-lahhhhh, love someone toniiiiiite

Some peak 80s music

1.5 - not for me

2.5 rounded down

This was ok. 2.5 rounded up.

Favorite Track: Sweet Love

What Kendrick was listening to in the tape deck

Smoooooth. But a bit same-y.

No doubt all involved are super talented but my word this is bland and forgettable for the most part. There is nothing interesting here to latch on to. Quiet Storm is not the genre for me

She's got a good voice, but this album was too adult contemporary for me. I didn't hate it, and it was fine background, but it just didn't do it for me. - Heard before? No. - Will I listen again? No. - Does it inspire me to listen to more of this artist? No.

Soul/R&B/Jazz singer album, the lead track Sweet Love was a fairly big hit back in 1986. It's not bad, even with some slightly dated production. She's got a good voice, but there's nothing particularly ground-breaking going on and it's not a genre that I find myself craving.

OK, if I am going Divas I am going elsewhere.

pass

decent

I preface this with - I have had two pints and I’m on the train back home after a night way with work. Oooh that’s that track. That’s nice. Dammmmmnnn this is like the slinkiest stuff to ever slink. At least the kind of stuff that has that very 80s edge. I think I like it. It’s very situational. And let’s face it, that situation is very sexual … but I think I like it.

Rapture ist das zweite Studioalbum der amerikanischen R&B-/Soul-Sängerin Anita Baker und erschien 1986. Die Interpretin ist US-amerikanischer Herkunft; die Produktion war maßgeblich von Michael J. Powell, Marti Sharron und Gary Skardina geprägt. Die Aufnahmen fanden 1985 unter anderem in den Yamaha R & D Studio (Glendale, Kalifornien), Music Grinder Studios (Hollywood, Kalifornien) und United Sound Systems (Detroit, Michigan) statt. Musikalisch bewegt sich Rapture im Bereich von R&B, Soul und dem sogenannten quiet storm, einem melodisch-intimen Subgenre des Soul mit jazzigen Untertönen. Besonders bekannte Titel sind „Sweet Love“, „Caught Up in the Rapture“, „You Bring Me Joy“, „Same Ole Love (365 Days a Year)“ und „No One in the World“. „Sweet Love“ wurde als Single veröffentlicht und gewann einen Grammy Award. Die Stimmung des Albums ist durch eine warme, ruhige Produktion und Bakers charakteristische, kontrollierte Stimme geprägt. Klanglich steht Rapture in der Tradition klassischer Soul-Produktionen, verzichtet aber auf grelle Effekte zugunsten einer organischen Ensemble-Atmosphäre. Abschließend lässt sich sagen, dass Rapture einen einheitlichen, geschmeidigen Sound bietet und Anita Bakers Stil in die breitere Wahrnehmung getragen hat, ohne in Effekthascherei zu verfallen.

Very easy listening I actually really enjoyed this while I was cleaning my house

Smooth, slow-burning grooves built from warm electric piano, soft synth pads, restrained drum programming, and Anita Baker’s plush, velvety vocals move this quiet storm R&B album like sinking into an overstuffed leather armchair—luxurious and calming at first until it suffocates you in its smoothness.

It feels like an important album but I am realizing that 80s R&B isn't really for me. Too many wind chimes, sexy baselines, synthy trills and acrobatic vocal moments for me. 5/10

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

Just dulll

It’s not that I didn’t enjoy this. Anita Baker has an amazing voice, is a great writer and included some good sax solos on this album. Unfortunately the 80s production ruined it for me by taking a lot of life and soul out of the finished record.

Sweet Love is absolute killer. But after that I gotta agree with the 70's/80's production complaints here. She's putting in genius performances but with that big anonymous sounding arrangements and wall of sound on every track, I really want to hear her sing with a stripped back band. Some digging to do.

This was nice enough, but sounds so generically 80s.

“ 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.

I went from thinking this was alright, to liking it, to thinking it was alright again. I think it has its moments, but it all felt very similar to me. Only thing that was changing was the tempo. Something happened in the transition from Arethas genre of soul to this 80s sounding type of soul, it lost something along the way. Or maybe it just gained that 80s feel... This isn't bad, but I just think theres a lot better soul music out there. 6.5/10

listened while drawing, really good vibes.

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.

3.5

Excellent discovery, just not my favourite genre. Good voice though! 3/5

Good background music with a couple of tracks that you have to stop and sing along with.

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

Кайфанула от баса, очень приятный и качественный инструментал! Вокал мощный, смелая конкуренция Хьюстон. И с учетом того, что мне почему-то редко нравится женский вокал, от прослушивания этой дамы получила только удовольствие. Еще понравилось, что альбом сам по себе небольшой.

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

Found the whole album on YouTube (unfortunately lol). Great voice but man what a snooze. Hard pass.

Gentle and smooth

Enjoy the mid 80s sweet jazz-ish.

Thanks, I hate it

This was loosely based on a song written by Houmous & Chutney for Chester Zoo. 2.5 1/8 Sweet Love

Pretty good.

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

I've got some history with this one, enjoyed it again this morning.

A short-and-sweet R&B album. Pleasant but not spectacular.

25/01/2026 Apart from the one song, the famous one, this was a tolerable album. Spotify listeners: 1.5 million

Love her voice but the production is too glossy and it's pretty boring.

Smooth. 3/5

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

Nope

fire

The man is wearing silk pajamas, with a very pronounced gut, his beard mostly gray and his hair mostly gone. The woman is wearing the teddy she received for her birthday 15 years and 20 lbs ago. She lights a candle. "Alexa, play Anita Baker." 4 minutes and 27 seconds later the man, out of breath, softly strokes the woman's back and mutters, "Goddamn, girl, you still got it!" The woman smiles.

A beautiful voice!

This is an album I would have never heard without this project. It’s just part of a genre that have little understanding of, and honestly feel under qualified to review. Anita has a powerful and charming voice, and the songs and arrangements on this album play well into that. I wish I had better or more in-depth thoughts, but I think this album mostly stood to show a blind spot in my music knowledge.

Very jazzy/blues album dedicated to love (the rapture)

This is a classic artist and some all time great hits, that I just don't like. I found this to be grating most of the time. The music bored me, and the pace did not create any comfortable vibe for me.

This is so late-night FM radio coded - it made me feel like I was drunk in the back of a taxi at 2am. Sweet Love is a tune and she has a great voice but it’s a bit too smooth for me.

I clicked in and saw that half the tracks were grayed out and thought, "oh that's too bad." Then the first few bars of piano kicked in and I thought, "maybe not too bad." Then she started singing and I started laughing, thinking, "is this over yet?" 80s R&B and Soul was just really really bad.

So talented

Great voice but sounded like every single other 80s R and B/Jazzy album.

i am really not a fan of the cheesy 80’s sound production but i did enjoy the stanky Sweet Love and No One In the World. 2.6/5 🌕🌕🌗

She has a nice voice but it's just not for me. 4/10

nice voice

Ik heb James Taylor gister even gepakt voor de lekker terwijl ik een boekje zat te lezen, waardoor ik nu achter elkaar Tina Turner en Anita Baker zit te luisteren. Dat is gewoon niet handig. Ik moet zeggen dat ik bij track 1 van dit album bijna waardering zou gaan krijgen voor Tina Turner. En dat kan toch niet de bedoeling zijn. Ons Anita doet af en toe iets met haar stem waardoor ze letterlijk klinkt als een verstandelijk beperkte. Bijvoorbeeld in track 1 bij de tweede 'love' in de zin "I'm in love, sweet love" en ook de 'name' in de zin daarna. Ik denk dat het de Amerikaanse variant van de Hazes snik is of iets dergelijks. Ik hoopte dat dat exclusief voorbehouden zou zijn aan track 1, maar helaas, ik hoor het bij meerdere tracks en het leidt af. Naast dat dit, de trouwe volgers zullen het inmiddels weten, sowieso niet helemaal mijn decennium en mijn muziek is. Ik heb hier gewoon niet zoveel geduld voor. Ik denk ook niet dat dit per se in deze lijst hoeft te staan en ik heb m'n goede wil al getoond bij tante Tina zojuist. Ik geef dit één ster, waarbij ik wel wil zeggen dat het tegen een twee aan schurkt.

Only half of the album was available for me on Spotify for some reason. Great voice, didn’t love the arrangements

This album is not made for a 35 year old white man, but there were moments I actually enjoyed a lot. This soft, focused production style isn’t something I really return too, but is clearly intentional and makes for an interesting comparison point.

Oh man, I recognized the opening from MF DOOM, but I really don't love soft R&B/slow jams. Great voice, but same issue I had yesterday with Nick Cave - it's performance > song. This is some department store background music.

Not a fan of pop soul, but this wasn't really bad. Don't like that kind of 80s production, a bit boring for my taste, but her voice makes it up a bit

A very plain vanilla album of pop music but god damn there isn't a bad song on the album. There is a real cognitive dissonance happening in my brain as I'm about to give an album I will never listen to again 5 stars. I think its a masterpiece as far as adult contemporary music goes but I'm not likely to ever listen again.

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.

Gooood. Pretty monotone but somehow in a good way.

4.5 now we are talking music

Wow, this one certainly conjures up memories. 4

Didn’t find this very exciting or interesting

i liked this album - v easy listening.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k_O655d-oSg

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

Very nice voice, but I don’t see myself ever intentionally playing this 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

174/1089 This was a really lovely album. love her voice, the style is very 80s specific and it really works here. It just feels like such a warm hug, and it maintains the feeling and the quality for the entire duration. I don’t think i can rate this anything other than 5 stars, there’s nothing i can mark it down on besides it not necessarily being an album i’ll have on heavy rotation. faves: Sweet Love, Mystery, No One in the World 83/100

Multiple hits and under 40 minutes? Queen behavior.

Genuinely hated this. Saccharine and dated. Possibly influential on Sade… and that’s not an influence you want to have. Absolute twaddle.

This was a horrible listen. Awful, overproduced soul/R&B/adult contemporary blandness. Same saccharine love topics in each of the songs end up saying so little about the human condition. A bit of light and shade might have helped but this was awful musak. Baker’s voice itself was good, but hated everything else about it.

I LOVE Anita Baker. Big fan!!!! Is labeled as pseudo-jazz but I still enjoy thoroughly

My superpower is my deep knowledge of eighties easy listening music, earned from years of long drives down interstate 10 to and from elementary school, listening to Sunny 99.1 in my mom’s minivan. Thus, the two hits from this album are deeply embedded in my psyche. They have powerful melodic sensibilities and it’s easy to get lost in Baker’s oddly nasal, yet powerful and alluring vocals. Yes, the production is corny and dated, but it also has real personality. Recent divas like Adele, with their dry, anonymous backdrops, would do well to study Baker’s example. Favorite song: Caught up in the rapture

Nonplussed. I'm nonplussed as to why this album is included on the list. Okay, it's got good production for the 80s some songs with nice playing and she's got a good voice. But the songs are utter and completely forgettable, and that's a sin, no matter which genre.

Vibes: 4 Instruments: 2 Production: 3 Emotional Value: 4 Storytelling: 1 AC: +0 Stand Outs: Sweet Love, Caught Up in the Rapture Overall: 2.8 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- There were a few catchy songs, but other than that I was almost falling asleep. It's nice background music.

#819. She has an undeniably fantastic voice, but for some reason this album doesn't really bring me joy. 3/5: acceptable

Nice pero that's it. Siento que muchos de mis 2s van a ser 2.5s frustrados

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!

Smooth pop de los 80 que pasa sin pena ni gloria pero que se deja escuchar

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.

Baker's got a set of pipes on her but the album isn't really anything special

Føles som kneppemusik? Lidt sade agtig på en eller anden måde. I guess det er en form for RnB soul pop agtigt. Men jeg slår det op og det er meget mere. Det kaldes åbenbart Quiet Storm som er varme baslinjer, langsomme tempi, bløde Keys og sensuel kontrolleret vokal. Det har jeg ikke hørt om før. Udover det er det sophisti-pop/adult contemporary soul som stadig har den varme lyd og jazzakkorder. Det er sgu meget sensuelt og intimt og til rolige aftenerne. det kan altså virkelig sætte en stemning til en god aften med en sød pige. Det er ikke fordi det siger mig vanvittig meget, men jeg synes egentlig det er godt.

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)

To preface this review, I would like to say how talented she is as a vocalist, as her voice is beautiful and she has a wide dynamic range. The soul element with it all wasn't so special compared with the amount of incredible soul albums on this list. It is a nice listen, but at no point was I blown away by anything on this.

this sounds like being in my mum's kitchen in 1988. like soul music played by a plastic bag.

nice voice pleasantly surprised

Sweet Love lyrics is like a parody to all the love songs ever written.

It’s pretty solid. Her voice is stellar and I love 80’s jams, but compared to what other artists were doing it is missing a little sauce

I can only find half of this album ANYWHERE, so that half is pretty mediocre

69/1001 First listen. I’m doing this challenge because I can give any album a fair. chance. This one sounds like the musical equivalent of wearing ladies underwear. This just isn’t made for me. I feel like It would be weird if I did like this. It’s not bad though. 3/10

Overall: 4/10 Great voice. The music sounds like dropping a sandwich in a pile of mud. Fav Song: Sweet Love

Great voice, but not my kind of tunes.

Its 1986. Where my Anita Bakers at? Here!

Very 80s. Not bad but nothing that really sticks out to me either.

Not bad

Toni Braxton ripped this off.

Que bueno un poquito de soul de los ‘80 para un sábado, sábadete. Con este frío hace para pásarlo en el sofà, bajo la mantita y hacer piececitos. Me corto las uñas vale cariño? Firmado: Frodo

Not at all my wheelhouse. I recognized and sang along with "Sweet Love," but the rest just made me nostalgic for easy listening radio from my childhood (which I never liked). I am sure it is great, but not my cup of tea,

Great voice for sure. Not precisely my jam fully. But wouldn’t be mad if someone played this. 3.5/5

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

It's alright. The kind of music you'd listen to after you put the kids to bed and you have the house and a bottle of wine to yourself. Like the sax and other instrumentals, but the songs sound roughly the same. 3.5

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

Seemed messed up on spotify

Nothing wrong with it, just a bit slow for me

Really good.

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

Syrupy quiet storm love songs (3.5)

Polished and an easy listen

Off one listen this sounds amazing. Minimum 4 stars already. edit: it's a 5. of course 1001 didn't like this album

Yeeaah, not for me I'm afraid. There's a lot of the very worst of 198-s production all over this - the sheen and polish, the painfully insincere synths - and it just leaves me dead cold. A shame, because she seems to be a really good singer and there's nothing offensive in these songs. It just does absolutely nothing for me emotionally.

Good album, fun r&b record I tapped my feet too. I understand why this album is on the list and why she was popular in the 80s. 3

Just R&B - Anita’s voice is great but I’m not going to come back to this album.

I mean it is Anita Baker so there is a higher floor here than for lots of artists, but it is also released in the 80's so it has some "Kenny G" feeling to it at times. Her voice is the real draw here!

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.

This was fine but like other reviewers stated, nothing too outstanding to me. Nice album to set the mood I guess? 2.5/5 rating down as I’m not expecting a strong desire to revisit

That was craptacular.

Not offensive but just fine I guess

Not my fave

Smooth, effective. A little too much scat singing for my taste.

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.

Nice good singing that sounded very 80s. Definitely felt like I knew the first song.

That was bad, but not egregiously bad for a 1. Still a pretty shite 2.

Great voice let down by mediocre 80s music

This pretty decent. Very reminiscent of stuff like Whitney Houston and Tina Turner. She sounded great but it just got a bit bland

I own this on vinyl but forgot o had it! It’s a very pleasant if unchallenging listen but that’s not always a bad thing. Great voice.

This did not do much for me, although I liked her voice. Was not catchy enough for me.

What a fabulous voice singing music to which I'd never choose to listen.

Beautiful husky voice. The TIGHT rhythm section. An excellent album made by a fantastic group of musicians and engineers. That last track? What an excellent way to end an album. Also, what a good time to never have listened to this before but recognizing parts of it from hip hop samples.

Solides aber unspektakuläres Soul Album.

i would probably love this if it had been made 10 years earlier or even 10 years later, but there's too much 80s stink on it. Anita's voice and performance is fantastic but that can only go so far when accompanied by this limp, weightless faux jazzy soft-rock. imagine if this had been made in the 70s with some real funk and jazz backing her up and some decent production; now that's an album. my main takeaway here is that there's perhaps an Anita Baker album out there for me but it ain't this one

I had no knowledge of this album and none of the artist either, except for her name. I found it hard to understand why this is on the 1001 albums list. It’s pleasant enough but mostly it feels a bit bland. I guess it must have stood out in some way when it was newly released? The main feel I get from it musically is of Dionne Warwick singing Burt Bacharach songs. Which is a compliment as a comparison, since those are great songs, beautifully arranged and very well sung. But this album doesn’t have anything like the wow factor of Dionne and Burt. I was hoping Anita Baker’s voice might be a new one to love, but it didn’t really speak to me and sometimes I found her inflections over-ornamented. The best track, I thought, was the jazzy one, Been So Long. I didn’t hate it but this one won’t be on my playlist.

A classic 1980's female vocalist album. I don't know if she came before or after Whitney Houston but to me she's of a similar genre and similar time. Anita clearly has a powerful voice and good lungs to keep the notes going for long periods. That was a style at the time, and whilst I don't find it in any way offensive it never was and never will be something I'm drawn to. It's listenable to if it came on the radio, but not something I'd seek out. I don't remember feeling different about that in the 80's either.

The first song Sweet Love transported me back to the 80s but during that decade I was too busy listening to 60s and 70s music and this album largely passed me by. Normally when I get an album generated, I either clap excitedly or groan, but this was met with why? It’s a nice soul album to listen to but I do not think it is very innovative. The tracks are written by a team of songwriters including Rod Temperton who wrote Boogie Nights and the tremendous Thriller and even his song here is quite boring. That’s when something is wrong, when you don’t even use Rod to great effect.

2.5 Obviously amazing voice, but production of the songs is so outdated and cheesy.

generale gentiluomo due

Sweet Love…Another song I never thought I’d have to hear again. Hard pass, what makes this list-worthy??

A really lovely soulful album. Definitely one for late night listening.

OMG, please stop this travesty of banal pop music. For people who believe that Trump speaks truth. Anita makes new and enthralling music. Up there with the Velvet Underground, Beatles, Stones, even Bowie. This is just pathetic pop goo. Okay, she has a great voice, I guess. But c'mon, the music is crap, the lyrics are beyond boring. No way...1 star. I've wasted enough time on this shite.

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.

Her voice is nice, but the keys and drums on this style of 80s soft pop is unbearable.

I imagine that this was played at a lot of dinner parties in the 80’s. Unfortunately it does not do anything for me. While I think Anita has a lovely voice I found it a bit boring and lacking in anything of interest. Shame!

Smooth

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

Contemporary 80’s overproduction. I can’t

Awesome love making album to share with your partner

Lovemaking music for people who live in retirement communities.

= the Beatles Perfectly fine

She has a lovely voice but it sounds like the generic music you’d hear in a Sears store in 1999

Yet another album and artist that I've never heard of. Who would have thunky wunky? I've super, ultra no clue what to expect from this album cover (my grammar just committed suicide). The eighties was the most ethnically White music decade I can think of, so it's a surprise to see a balack wahmen of power make the cut for this decade. Ahhh, fuck. Soul? I'm really spitballing genre predictions here. Hell yeah, soul. I'm on a roll. I normally have a difficult time getting along with soul, though this album was pretty alright. Very easygoing and accessible with some solid, of-the-time 80s tunes. It's difficult to articulate, but I like the background ambience in this make of music, especially in the keyboard (I think) department. I'm talking about the vaguely piano-organ sounding instrument which is present on just about every song of this album - I'm not sure what it is. I've said it about a lot of the albums I've listened to recently, though for I truly enjoyed listening to something which was relaxing with this one. I had a good time kicking back to this album, even if it does blend together and lose me a little. "Sweet Love" has a familiar vocal melody. Pretty good song. Those aforementioned vocals are the highlight, though I also quite like the piano. "Caught Up in the Rapture" is a classic 80s jig, though it's a pretty good song. The rhythm and atmospheric sound is quite good, and I enjoy the smaller musical embellishments in the background - especially in the funky synth and bass guitar department. Book time. Good production. Sweet Love was a hit. A lot of yapping about how the album is simultaneously radio-friendly and artistically strong. Came and went in the public conscience very quickly. Yeah, this doesn't give me much confidence. Wikipedia says that this album sold very well, won two awards and has a modest critical backing. My axe has been begging me to cleave some skulls with all of the subpar picks I've been sparing lately, and this grace period shall sadly continue. If I had a larger catalogue of replacement albums it would be a proper bloodshed right now, though I sadly don't know how many I have left. Maybe I oughta draw up a list sometime. Anyways, this was a decent listen. I cosign the inclusion.

This is the kind of music that would play at the grocery store when I was a kid to please the suburban moms. This is fine adult contemporary but I find it boring af. Highlights: sweet love

5/10

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.

Enjoyable album of laid back soul. Where contempories like Whitney caterwall Anita purrs. Still 80's RnB had crummy backing music tat hampered even the best singers and songs.

I don't think I can get behind this genre.

It's the late 80s, and my sister and I hear this album wafting from the bathroom among the clatter and commotion of cosmetics used and put down and the sink running. It's Friday afternoon and our mother is getting ready for another date. "Going out with a friend tonight. Knock on the neighbors' door if you need anything. I shouldn't be too late," she shouts over the smooth strains of Anita Baker's voice coming from the ancient cassette deck that has lived on top of the toilet tank for years, gathering a thick coat of grime, moisture and human funk. She won't be home early, and we know this by the shade of her lipstick and the clothing she has selected for the evening. We might not see her until Sunday. We have some Hot Pockets in the freezer and probably enough food for the dog.

All very pleasant and Sunday afternoon-ish, but quite forgettable apart from Sweet Love

alright

It may be because of the age I was in 1986, but this just feels like such old lady music. But I can appreciate that these are really great, soulful, songs. Maybe because I'm an old lady now haha.

my god what a voice.

Not usually a fan of this style, but it won't me over by the end.

A great voice stuck behind generic 80s r&b unfortunately

beguiling, seductive, smooth

For such an amazing singer and the fact this is a soul record, it’s really devoid of any soul.

Anita Baker has a silky smooth voice. One of the best jazz/soul voices of the 80s for sure, along with Sade. That being said, I grew up in the 80s listening to metal and punk. So this is a little too slick for my tastes. Nothing at all wrong with this album other than it doesn't suit my musical tastes. I would recommend it to anyone who might have interest in this type of music though. 3/5 #210

ok easy ls

As I was listening to Rapture, the thought hit me: on this album, Anita Baker is the female Michael McDonald.

This is not my style of music. The Spotify blurb says it’s romantic soul music. It’s sappy ballads, I’m sure there are plenty of people who love this but I am not one of them.

It’s performed well enough, but it sounds like the forgettable adult contemporary that was all over the place in the 80s and early 90s.

Good, but not totally my vibe.

Nice soulful voice but not a fan of this hold music style

Noooo 2/5

Good