Rapture

2.5 rounded down

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.

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.

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.

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

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

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.

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

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.

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

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.

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

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

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

Its 1986. Where my Anita Bakers at? Here!

Nothing wrong with it, just a bit slow for me

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.

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!

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

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

Great voice let down by mediocre 80s music

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.

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.

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??

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!

Lovemaking music for people who live in retirement communities.

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

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

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.

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.

alright

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

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

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.

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

Noooo 2/5

I guess it’s good for what it is.

Rather bland, sounded like an 80s soundtack that needed to sound like soul but just didnt have any.

Eh, it's fine. I saw another comment that summed it up...it makes me feel like I'm in a supermarket. This is not offensive. It just feels really dated. It's 2 in terms of "good music" (points for Anita's voice) as the keyboards and synth are boring - they sound like the basic track that comes with a casio keyboard. The lyrics are boring. Should not be on this list. ChatGPT argues with me and tells me that the boring, calmness is the point. Well, I'm not meditating here ChatGPT. I'm trying to find interesting, great albums that make me feel like I'm not in an overly produced 80s Hollywood movie.

Not offensive, just not my thing. Too generic and boring.

Anita Baker has a nice voice, but the tracklist became weary before the halfway mark.

A smooth, pleasantly inoffensive enough soul album which became very boring very quickly. Anita Baker has a fairly accomplished voice, but never uses it in a vaguely captivating way. If The Black Keys were car advert rock, this is car advert soul.

Meh. Some classics, but very vanilla.

I tried. The voice is stellar. Songs are middling. I just can't get past the production. The mid 80s is where the 80s sound hit the ditch.

Scrolling through other's review of this album and reading a lot of 'elevator music'. I'd like to add 90's department store to that list. Nothing controversial to the ears but doesn't grip me with anything either.

Nothing stand out about this album, was bored throughout.

Because I have been shopping in a department store, I have heard Sweet Love many, many times in my lifetime. To have this album on the list and not Whitney Houston is an absolute abomination. This is 80's light soul that I heard in my mom's station wagon on the way to run errands. This is by no means bad music but there are much more qualified and interesting artists making music at this exact period of time. Nothing against Anita Baker, but I feel like I didn't a-need-a her represented in this book. Bring Whitney Houston in the book and lose this one.

Sounded good but wasn’t in the mood for this.

2/5 - Not awful, but I didn't really enjoy it. Love songs can be great but these seemed to have zero depth. Might be good in movies which I think is where I've heard some of them before.

I'd bet money that this only popped up now because of the track "Caught Up in the Rapture" I could only listen to like half of the album on Spotify. It was okay R&B.

I appreciate the joke of listening to Rapture this week, but I appreciate the album a little bit less. Can’t deny any of the talent of the singer or the emotion of any of it, it just don’t hit me in any way.

Well done, just a little too adult contemporary for my taste.

I'm really not sure why this one to Grammy awards

I'm sorry Anita, your voice is beautiful. The music is tired.

80's grocery store classic.

eh

Some groovy moments but not really my jam, just ok

meh

first listen supremely mediocre

Nah

Schöne Stimme. Leider mit so einer schlafmützigen 80er Soße garniert.

Most songs are even available. Incomplete

This is absolutely not my thing.... It's excruciatingly boring to me.

Sometimes you just accept something wasn't made for you.

pretty instrumentation and great vocals but it just drags

Dull generic soul/pop

No standouts, inoffensive smarm

Nekem semmi extra + nem is az én világom

Easy listening but not memorable

It's fine for someone, just not me

Didn't do much for me.

This was about like I expected. Good voice but not really my style.

Pretty and nice but not a hard hitter as far as soul goes. Liked but didn’t love. Found myself zoning out

I don’t think I’ve ever heard of Anita Baker before, but I’ve thought that about other artists, and then wound up recognizing their work (David Gray and Everything But The Girl). I love listening to eighties music, so maybe I’ll recognize a song or two off of this album. Either way, I’m excited to listen to a new artist today! I think Anita Baker is a talented singer, but this album wasn’t really up my alley. There were some great bass lines throughout Rapture, but there wasn’t much variety in the sound, and the keyboard and synthesizer arrangements were pretty forgettable. For a soul album, this album didn’t feel like there was any emotional weight to it. I’ll admit that there are plenty of soft rock songs from the eighties that I enjoy, but an album full of feather-weight pop tunes without any catchy melodies isn’t really my thing. The last three songs of the album the best part of the album, but even then, those songs were relatively forgettable. I can understand how this album won a couple of Grammy awards, but Rapture isn’t an album I’ll be coming back to.

A good singer but not much else for me here.

dawno nie bylo czegos tak generycznego dla swojego gatunku, tym razem wylosowalo latwe granie w stylu r&b, dzisiaj sie dowiedzialem, ze radio przyjazne r&b mialo podgatunek quiet storm, gdzie zaciaga bardziej coolowym jazzem niz soulowymi ciagotami, to nagranie z 86 jest drugim krazekiem w dyskografii pani baker, jak przystalo na gwiazde r&b to jest ona glosem plyty i na czesci utworow jest creditowna jako autorka, co do pozostalych nie jestem pewien ktore to covery, a ktore orginalne kompozycje pisane specjalnie na ten albumik, bo lista creditsowa jest dluga i szeroka, a to zaledwie 8 kawalkow w 36 minutach, ale na kazdym prawie ktos inny stuka w klawisze, czy brzdaka delikatnie po gitarce, nawet bez sluchania a sam rzut oka na tytuly jasno nakresla zawrtosc liryczna zawarta na tym krazku, wiec smutne romansowanie od poczatku do konca, jestem pewny, ze sporo sporo intrumentali z tego krazka slyszalem samplowanych w latach 90, no i u pana dooma, bo jestem prawie pewny, ze te klawisze ze sweet love na jakiejs metalowej masce slyszalem, chyba zbyt zmeczony jestem na latwe sluchanie dzisiaj, bo po przesluchaniu czuje sie jeszcze bardziej sprasowany niz przed, no i jeszcze kwestia tytulu rapture ktory nawiazuje do traka caught in the rapture, to slowko rapture chyba zawsze bedzie mialo silniejsze polaczenie z czyms smutnym starym i zrozpaczonym przez bioshocka, ciekawe jak slowa nabieraja swoich znaczen przez wlasne doswiadczenia, teraz na repeacie polecialo been so long i moge potwierdzic podejrzenia, ze bylo samplowane u dooma na special herbach z tej plyty, ten utwor na zatarze, na plejke dodam wspomniane rapture

Undoubtedly a great singer, just not really excited about this 1980s smoothness here. 2 stars

Meh, it was okay.

I'm not all that sure about this inclusion. There are numerous 80s and 90s female pop/soul vocalists who have surely produced more valuable and influential albums. It was 'nice' enough, but mehh.

Just not for me!

a deeper voice than I expected! sweet love is a good song but this just isnt my type of music .. 5/10

An enjoyable enough late night album, she has good soft voice, and the music is inoffensive and calm though really not memorable. The production is over the top for my taste, very mid-80s. Overall a fine listen but not good enough for a stronger 3 stars.

80s mom cleaning the house music

Pleasant listening. 2.5/5

Nope

I’m not into R&B as a genre, and Rapture doesn’t change that. Anita Baker undoubtedly has a beautiful voice and delivers everything with elegance and control, but for me, it just becomes too dull over time. The album is filled with love songs, and there’s only so many of those I can take in one sitting, especially when the tempo and mood barely shift. I can understand why it resonates with others, but it doesn’t connect with me. 2/5

Have never liked this phony-sounding type of music. Nothing stands out as special or interesting here - why is it on the list?

Very little to say on this one … not really my thing but pleasant enough as background music.

Fantastic voice. She has a lot of talent, but I just couldn’t get interested in the music. It’s like bad 90’s R&B. 2.5/5 Won’t listen again

Sweet Love is a great song, lovely opener and the only thing of note on this run of the mill soul album that descends into scatting and aimless warbling. It's all a pretty sound but it's short of any depth

I am sure this is great as far as 80s soul go, but I just do not care about it at all, and it did nothing for me.

I nearly gave it a 1, as this is really not my style. But it gets an extra point for some tasty basslines.

its good but it just don't excite me that much. She can sing great and had good songs on it but it doesn't stand out to me. (2.5/5.0)

Every song sounded the same.

Not for me

I don't like it at all. It doesn't sound like they mean it. Maybe she does, but the band doesn't. They know how to play, but they sound uninspired. Favorite song: sweet love.

Great voice. Bored me to tears.

2.5 Pretty slick production, typically there are some pretty talented session musicians on these 90's R&B albums, this is no different. Just don't think this will find a place in my rotation

This was nice enough but not quite a style I gravitate toward. 2.5

anita baker has a nice voice but this is super boring

First listen. Familiar with the hits: Sweet Love and Caught Up in the Rapture. Brilliant voice. Songs are all fine. However, the 80s instrumentation and flourishes don't hold up today, unless that's your thing. Feel bad giving it a two. Might be higher if it was more my thing.

Not my cup of pee

A soundtrack for all the drug stores out there.

It's very 80s R&B/soul that kind of reminds me of soft rock in a lot of ways. Sweet Love is definitely the highlight for me. Even though the album feels very competently done, it's not something I found particularly interesting or enjoyable.

I quite liked this, but the production is horrific.

# 445 : 27/03/2025 : I don't love it, I don't hate it. A couple of things stood out but I thought it was very ordinary quiet forgettable and like everyone else said… Shopping centre music.

Anita Baker undeniably has a great voice, and Rapture features some solid tracks, with highlights like "Sweet Love" and "Caught Up in the Rapture" standing out as particularly strong. However, while the album is pleasant and well-produced, it doesn’t feel groundbreaking or particularly memorable for its time. It’s a good pop record with smooth production and some nice moments, but it lacks that spark that would make me want to revisit it. It’s easy listening, but nothing more. Favourite Songs: Caught Up in the Rapture, Sweet Love Least Favourite: Nothing was outright bad—it’s just middle-of-the-road overall. Album Artwork: A nice, classy cover.

I wasn't crazy about it but I respect her talent. It's just was a bit too generic 80s.

I don't particularly care for the music, but bonus points for making me realize that yes indeed I DO need a baker.

So smooth….

I am just not very into this kind or smooth, synthy 80s R&B.

Great voice, Excellent to eat dinner too.

Only 4 songs on Spotify, but that's enough to know this bored me.

Initially, I thought who? But I vaguely recognised the opening track "Sweet Love" from somewhere. A quote on the Wikipedia page says "an acquired but enduring taste", which sums it up pretty well I think. Not bad, but not great, and not really my style of music.

2.25

Had to find this one on YouTube. She’s got a good voice, but these jams are way too smooth for this rough, calloused human. I couldn’t make it through. I would never revisit this, though I guess it has some artistic merit for pure talent? I hesitate to give it a 1, but this just isn’t for me.

Not bad, but just didn't do it for me. A bit boring.

Sweet Love is a brilliant song, really jazzy, and Caught Up in the Rapture is also alright, but the rest of the songs are rather dull. Pretty voice, but too forgettable overall.

While I cannot say enough about her voice, the easy-listening vibe is a great detriment. Add eighties saxophone, and I'm looking for the door. Soft rock stylings and the door is hitting my butt on the way out.

Everyone knows Sweet Love and it’s ingrained in people if a certain generation - we all know the words and the time and the voice! Nothing else on this album has quite that power or effect.

Boy, did I hate the bass sound on this one. She's got such a beautiful husk to her voice, but these tunes were not great and the production was so stuck in its decade, it dragged the album down and made it hard to endure. Could this really be the best Anita Baker album? Hard to believe.

Boy that first track brought me back. What a timeless and distinct voice she has. The production and arrangements really zap this thing of any life. But her voice is foine. I really would have loved to hear her with 1960s production values. Imagine her singing with the Coltrane Quartet, a la Johnny Hartman.

The Good: First ‘80s R&B album on the list The Bad: Rapture not being the best ‘80s R&B had in store, IMHO The Ugly: Having to sit through almost 40 minutes of this… Quiet Storm, that is what they call this genre… I did not know that, so I guess there is a positive to having to have sat through 40 minutes of near agony. Was it really that bad? No. For those of us who lived the ‘80s, we’ve all danced at least ones to Sweet Love, and probably made out to it, or better… so there is a bonus point for Mrs Baker! Yet I can’t but sit here and cringe while thinking how awesome the producers thought this record to be! Hey, why don’t you sing this bit about "three hundred sixty five days a year” like this, and then repeat it ad-nausea just so people can see how wonderful we are?!??!!!? Production wise it is through and through what the genre gave us, all the way through the mid ‘90s I’d say. Loads of treble, and mids, muted bass… I was listening to Aretha belting out “Do Right Woman” the other day, and I will take Mrs Franklin over Mrs Baker any day of the week… So, 2*, because it isn’t absolute crap, but I doubt I will be listening to this again soon.

Watch Your Step on this one. I didn’t get Caught Up in the Rapture this time around.

Anita Baker has an interesting voice, but these songs just lack some sort of kick that would make me really invested! This album really reminds me of a boring American version of Japanese City-Pop. Best Songs: Sweet Love, No One In The World Worst Songs: Been so Long

Smmmmoth Jazzercise. 2 stars for them memorable 80s mom hits.

Tried to listen to it, and I couldn't do it. Her voice is fine, I guess.

La primera canción es un buen single, pero el resto del disco, aunque se deja escuchar y refleja una clara capacidad y talento en la interpretación, no es muy memorable.

I just watched a TV show that made me really anxious so honestly this was the perfect time to listen to this one. It is a very safe sound and feel, no tension being built. While I was fine with it now, this is some of my least favorite music. Just junk. Rating: 2.0

2corny 4me

There's no denying that Anita Baker has a powerful, beautiful voice, but it's too bad that these songs do nothing to support that voice. The entire album is just overproduced 80's blah.

No doubt she is a good singer but this is so dull 2*

fine, but equally totally forgettable 3/10

It's not bad, but I don't resonate with this at all

I didn't like it. It's good but I just couldn't get in to it

Not my thing and extremely forgettable. There were a few funky moments to bop around to, but overall I could pass completely.

Am I supposed to be fucking to this? Because this would be the most soulless uninteresting sex imaginable. The voice is pleasant though

Okay, album. Didn't enjoy it much. Probably not my genre.

She has a good voice but the 80s production and overly schmaltzy tone made this a tepid and forgettable listen.

níunda áratugur sálartónlist. syngur vel en hrútleiðinlegt.

I think this album is forgettable, especially compared to the music from other soul singers such as Aretha Franklin and Nina Simone. Anita Baker's voice is fine enough but the songs aren't particularly special: it sounds like music that'd be played in a grocery store. It's smooth but too smooth, as if all the interesting parts of soul and jazz were ironed out.

Not my thing at all. Glossy and light, which is undemanding, but across thirty-six minutes the tracks become less demarcated, dissolving into a haze of tasteful grooves and twinkly pianos. Anita Baker is a fine singer for this quiet storm-type of soul, but Rapture is too one-note to do her talent justice.

Time was deeply unkind here. Music that should have died with the 80s. Glassy synthesizer lounge jam sex music for my parent's generation. The music has a smell about it and I want to leave. She's clearly very talented, but also, her voice has an uncanny resemblance to Michael McDonald. I didn't enjoy any of that, but I reserve 1/5 for far worse offenses. Time is the real criminal on this one. I'm sure this is still a lot of people's jam. 2/5

Great singer, not my type of music unfortunately. All of the songs melted together in my mind.

Not for me.

Alright but there are other soul/motown albums I'd listen to, she does have a great voice

Not offensive, for sure. Pretty meh for me. First track was by far my favorite 2.75

Let me tell you a story about Anita. In a land far, far away, there lived a man who owned a bakery with a young daughter. After she was born, he quickly recognised her beautiful voice and said to her: "You must sing to bring glory to your family!". "But dad... I want to be an astronaut!" "No, child. You must do it!" The whole story is fake, that's only a justification why I feel she didn't love what she was doing.

For 80’s Neo-soul pop things pretty good. The hits took me back and made me realize how good those songs really actually were. That said- she ain’t Aretha, she ain’t even Carole King- meh

What did the helpless cookie dough say to the oven?

Despite being initially comforted by Sweet Love being on this, it all went fairly downhill after that track. All felt pretty forgettable if I’m honest!

She’s got a great voice. But the adult contemporary category is not for me.

this was too repetitive in terms of subject matter. but this bitch can sing

🎧Anita Baker sure can sing but this is drenched in bad 80s production that I can’t really get past. It’s not on Spotify so I listened on YouTube where every top comment is “who’s listening in 2024?” Favorite track: Same Ole Love (365 Days a Year)

Sweet Love //

Fine but probably won't listen again, not into the style/genre and it sounds even more outdated than older music.

I had flashbacks to school clothes shopping at JC Penny when listening to this. And boy I did not like clothes shopping.

Boring

The 80s were sometimes terrible

Cheesy music for people 30 years older than whatever age I happen to be at the time.

Very boring. Sweet Love was supposedly the best song on the album, and even that was underwhelming.

Thought I would love it in a nostalgic way, and whilst I do like the two I knew v well (Sweet Love and the title track) I did find the rest a bit forgettable. It was nice enough aural wallpaper.

This is the definition of 80’s adult contemporary.

Yeah, it's alright. Maybe it was ground-breaking and/or innovative in its time, but unfortunately to my modern ears it just sounds a dated

Pleasant enough. Killer voice. Same ol love was my favorite from the album. But I’m glad it was a short album. Not much variation.

Not my thing

This is so typical average sing-song of the eighties. Not my music although one must say, that she is a good singer

In order: Excellent Voice Good Musicianship Decent Production Below-par Songwriting Terrible personal enjoyment

This isn’t music for music’s sake. This is just 33 minutes and 37 seconds of vaguely pleasant background noise for old people to fuck to. I feel like Robert Dimery just walked up to me and handed me a condom and lube and a scented candle and I said, “No thank you Robert Dimery. I do not need these items at this time as I am not about to engage in the physical act of love, rather, I am driving to Lowes to buy a shower arm” and Robert Dimery said, “That’s okay. Just hold this condom and lube and scented candle and - you know - appreciate their beauty as objects” and I said, “No, that’s weird. I don’t want to do that”, but here I am anyway, sitting in the Lowes parking lot listening to an aural geriatric erotic aid.

Anita has a fine voice, but the 80s production and sensibility has aged like milk.

Great voice but soulless music

gross

Ugh this album really did nothing for me. The instrumentation was blah with a lot 80s production. With her beautiful voice it could have been so much more with some 70s soul. Very disappointing.

She has a beautiful voice and this was a nice album. There really is nothing more to say about it. Pretty bland.

Hard to give this a fair review as only 4 songs were available on Spotify but this was not my taste.

I thought I might appreciate this more but it mostly just sounds incredibly dated.

This reminds me of a cafe my best friend and I used to go to when we were kids. Not as customers, of course, our target was the PC for customers right in the middle of it. We would occupy it for as long as the staff would let us, then go to a nearby electronics store to play on the consoles there or to annoy the cell phone salesman who seemed to not like us but still would come up with something to keep us quiet instead of just kicking us out. The exact type of music you would play if you wanted as few people as possible to be aware that anything was playing at all.

during no point did I think "Man, I wish I was paying more attention to this music"

Ultimately slightly boring elevator music

I recognized a couple of the songs but not really my cup of tea

Some catchy songs. Standout songs: You Bring me Joy No one in the World Watch your step

2/5 not for me

Ok album. Nothing groundbreaking

Sort of most of what you probably hate about 80s music. He voice is good but the high gloss and void of personality production makes this all sound the same.

Pas mon genre mais écoutable.

Great vocals but sonically just not for me at all, all a bit one paced and tedious.

Boring ass album. Great voice but otherwise very mediocre. 4/10

Decent enough 80s pop

Beautiful voice but not my cup of tea.

It was... fine? I just can't see much reason for this to be included on this list. It sounded like every other smooth jazz song from the 80s.

80s Soul just doesn’t do it for me. Her voice is not bad, but something about the overproduced sound of the 1980s that just robs it of any power.

Can we all just admit we've gone out of our way to overrate her? There are at least 100 better female singers I'd put ahead of Anita Baker. There's nothing special here. It only broke out because a soulful adult contemporary song crossed over to the pop charts and somehow became a huge hit. Only at that point in 1986. Timing, as always, is everything.

I'll admit I wasn't to excited to see this one pop up as it's not really a genre I typically listen to but its a solid album. If I was streaming an R&B station or playlist, I wouldn't skip any track from this album. Note: This is not on Spotify. I had to use Amazon Prime.

Very middle of the road 80’s soul, not sure why this needs to be on the list.

No jos joku ei-niin-megasuosittu (?) 80-luvun balladilevy pitää listalla olla, miksei tämä. Kaunista laulua, ihan hitusen raakuuttakin saa välillä eli tulkintaa. Hyvin tylsät sanoitukset. Mutta söpö. En vaivautuisi kuuntelemaan uudelleen.

Ansaitsisi ykkösen silkasta banaaliudestaan, mutta - ei helvetti - himoitsin levyn melkein nimibiisiä koko homman jälkeenkin. Lopullinen todiste melodisuuden transsendenssista suhteessa juustoon.

2.8

I'll go 2 because she has a great set of pipes but the production and songwriting (sweet love aside) is really lacking

2.5 Girl has one song, said sang differently each time.

Easy listening, they were all pleasant but nothing terribly memorable for me

Makes me feel like I need a perm and a track suit.

No amount of emotion and vocal control can make up for bad taste, but it certainly helps.

Typical normal R&B/soul. Good voice though.

This album sounded like your classic 80s soul music. Her voice and the background music never seemed to change from song to song, everything blended together. 4/10

meh

Gute Stimme, seichte Arrangements

Blind album and artist. Short and boring. Too calm for me. This would belong on a generic CD compilation set.

2 Yeah, this really didn’t do anything for me. It very, very much feels like a product of its time and dated by 2024 standards. Her voice is of course nice, but it doesn’t come off as particularly standout or unique nor does anything about the music, so as a whole, I really couldn’t point out any one moment that stood out to me. In fact, I’m really trying my best here to think of anything to add to further flesh out my thoughts or maybe just help beef up my review, but I’m just drawing a blank. Can’t say that it’s bad, but I can confidently say it’s not for me. I guess this won 2 Grammys which surprised me and made me think that I’m missing something, but then I remembered the Grammys committee has the most middle-of-the-road, borderline awful taste, so I feel like my opinion (or lack thereof) is reinforced.

A nice listen is about as much praise as I can give this one

Pretty music, that I’m just not into.

Big yawn. If this is adult contemporary then give me something juvenile and retro because this crap sparks no interest in me whatsoever. (Anita Ward did Ring my Bell - now that’s a tune.)

Yep ... it's dated. I suspect that this album, with all its hilarious little synth effects, was already old when it was released in 1986.

Decent record. Sweet Love is a classic, but the rest of it is pretty blah.

Good voice, chill vibes but ultimately nothing stands out. Also half the album is missing in Spotify...so did I realllllly listen to it? Hmm...

You don't have to hate music to like this (if you do then listen to noise rock or avant-garde), but you DO have to be totally disinterested. 2 stars because she does have a great voice. This album would be in the top ten examples of ultimate cheese.

mediocrerandb i dont know

I mean... this must be pretty close to peak 80's schmaltz, right?

Soft-rock cheese. Meh.

not my style.

I actually like this a fair bit, but I'll never listen to it. Cool yacht rock sound musically but I don't like the lyrics. Too cheesy.

I can confidently say that my mother probably loved this album. As for me, quiet storm is not my type of genre.

Zzzzz

Laadukas ja tyylikäs toki, mut tylsä

Meh.

Very 80s, very smooth, nice voice. Ideal for putting on in the background for a romantic night....but wouldn't liste to it otherwise!

It’s hard to hate on such an inoffensive album, it’s just not something that moves me in any particular way. I can imagine this being used at hifi stores to show off a system, but that’s pretty much it.

Jaja

A little too easy-listening for me.

it's not for me.

Was probably 2 stars

Just really not my style. An album full of mid-tempo songs about love. Not for me. I can't really judge it harshly if it's you're thing I'm sure it's great. Anita has a wonderful voice. 2.5 stars

It's OK I guess. It's not really my kinda music.

Only had a quick listen but nothing pulled me back for another go.

It wasn't quite bad enough for 1 star, but it was pretty meh. Syrupy pop/ soul stuff that is radio friendly and instantly forgettable.

<Radio voice> Now, the best romantic directly from the 80s. Here are your favorite songs. Just at the 102Mhz </Radio voice>

not bad but boring soul

This was fine. Felt like something I would hear at a JCPenney in like the late 90s.

Beautiful voice, but the songs are just not good.

This isn't very interesting. She has a voice of good range but nothing that hadn't been done before or since, the opening track is the highlight, but she doesn't seem to care about any of it. This was four years before that George Michael album we had recently, similar eras and a similar style of music, but the emotion and quality of his voice made that several tiers better than this by comparison.

This is... fine... Nice voice without being noticeably brilliant, perfectly solid R&B but nothing more than that. Songwriting isn't particularly special, a pleasant but not exciting listen. 2/5.

Too smooth 2/5

an undeniable talent and great band but it all feels… sterile.

I can smell the Pledge already! And I recognise this song!! The 80s called and said "Hi". I like the bass, very punchy. The rhythm section is tight. Eh, what to say..? A brilliantly produced, crafted and recorded record and Anita has an incredible voice. Once or twice I listened to the intro of the track and expected Michael Jackson to start singing, and more than once I thought I was listening to Whitney Houston. Do you like the genre or not? 2 / 5 stars.

I think this is sexy music for your grandparents which makes it super creepy.

This wasn't a bad album, but it all sounded pretty much the same to me. Anita Baker has a lovely voice but I couldn't tell you any songs or anything that made me sit up and pay attention. 2/5

The 80s were a mistake.

Good enough voice but nothing I haven't heard a million times before. The album also lacked anything even close to a hit song

Great voice, kinda boring songs

Tråkigt.. bra röst dock

She has a great voice but I find this adult contemporary stuff a slog to get through.

This album displays a beautiful voice that was caught in the trap of uninspired, cheesy 80s music.

Ok, so I can see how some people would appreciate this M.O.R. soul record. Not me though, this was pish.

2.5

A Hubba bubba beep-n-deeb-y-beeby-dee-bee. Dreadful, but probably my favourite part.

Anita Baker has a fantastic voice but I find this type of music just so boring and has nothing to grab me.

I've lost all respect sorry this is absolutely rigged for money... Or ratings in not sure which. I won't be silent . Just saw it live sry. nosti pojolla lopussa hyvä trio biisejä... tulee albumi kuitenkin unohdettua... no one in the world

a bish be beltin

Not my jam

Good music, but I don’t like the style.

boring eighties

Can’t say anything bad about the songs, her voice or the album in general other than it’s just not my style. I understand why it’s on the list, but it just doesn’t do anything to me.

Not my cup of tea.

I can appreciate her voice but I am not very into this style of music.

Genres: R&B, soul, quiet storm Formed: 1983 (solo) Run time: 8 songs, 36 min, 17 sec The second album by the vocalist. With only 8 songs and a play time of 36 minutes, it’s not much “bang for the buck” as the Americans would say. Spotify: Least popular songs have just over 1M plays and the most popular song: track 1, “Sweet Love” with over 95M plays. The first song is great, very catchy and upbeat. Most of the album is quite restrained and bland (if I’m honest). It doesn’t showcase Anita Bakers’ fantastic powerful voice. The production team needed a kick up the arse for making this record. It’s like they took a Ford Mustang out of the garage to nip round the corner to the shop. It needs to be let loose on the open road, i.e. she needs to be letting rip, not talking quietly. What a waste. Listen Again?: No My Rating: **

Talented but dated

It’s very good at its job

super Stimme, super Musik, aber die Texte: immer nur über den / die andere in einer Liebesbeziehung. Ein ganzes Album davon wird schnell langweilig, trotz der herausragenden Musik.

Sweet Love is a great track, but a whole album it does not make. Most of the rest of the album is filler, though the last track isn't bad.

Too smooth.

Great voice but doesn't blow me away.

It has some potential to make some excellent vapourwave but as it is I struggled to enjoy it. There were some glimmers of potential interest here and there. 1.5/5

This has to be one of those albums whose airplay was limited to department store perfume sections. I was going to give it a grudging 3 for being technically proficient, but by the end I was rolling my eyes. Half an hour shouldn't feel that long. 2/5.

Pretty dull. Nothing memorable about it.

I didn't notice anything in particular

Beautiful person with a beautiful voice. My wife really loves Anita Baker and used to play this frequently. I dislike this music.

It’s better than Bjork. Other than that… other than smooth production, and some tight bass I find it nothing special.

There are obviously some very talented studio musicians present here (and a lot of them!). And Bakers deep vibrato is smooth as silk. But overall the record is quite non-memorable, save for some few moments sprinkled throughout. The funky bass on 'Sweet Love' and 'Same Ole Love'. The discrete funk guitar on 'Been So Long'. And the layers upon layers of percussion on almost every track. But all in all the album is much too polished for my tastes. I understand why it was Baker's commercial breakthrough, because every track feels as though it was written and produced with the sole intention of maximizing airtime.

Eh

nah