Search - Cherrelle :: High Priority

High Priority, Indeed.

The Groove | Boston, MA | 08/28/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Even before producers Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis started working with Janet Jackson, the production duo was already making history by crafting some of the greatest r&b singles of the 1980s. A handful of those songs can be found on Cherrelle's second album "High Priority," which has been digitally remastered and reissued. Its climax is the classic duet with Alexander O'Neal ("Saturday Love"), while "You Look Good to Me" and "Artificial Heart" pulsate with assertive force. The groove remains tight after all these years, but it's Cherrelle's voice that brings life and color to these songs. Unlike most modern records, "High Priority" doesn't sound like product; it sounds like MUSIC, and it's sung by a woman who clearly has some passion for it. The production may be a bit dated, but the songwriting certainly isn't. Those who have been wanting to get their hands on this previously out-of-print release finally have the chance to re-familiarize themselves with one of the more memorable r&b albums of the last 25 years."

Ditto to the previous reviewer

Reginald D. Garrard | Camilla, GA USA | 02/02/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Nothing can be added that has not already been said by the earlier critique of Cherelle's "High Priority".Anyone with any appreciation of the "Minneapolis Sound", as personified by Jam & Lewis, Prince, and the Time, will relish in the production and artistry of Cherelle, a should-not-be-forgotten 80's diva."

How The Times have Changed ...

Armando M. Mesa | Chandler, AZ | 01/30/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"The musical magic that producers Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis would give a production like this were phenomenal. At this point in artist's Cherelle Norton's career she was able to cross over to both r&b, funk, and dance-pop without alienating fans or confusing new ones. From the dramatic piano-synth intro called The Opening to the non-Jam and Lewis penned tunes the magical Minneapolis sound was unmistakeable ! There was no hip-hop, no rap. This old school R & B material was all about the artist actually singing and belting the tunes out ! Most popular tracks were You Look Good To Me, Artificial Heart (pre-Janet Jackson "Control" era), and the awesome Saturday Love ( a duet with Flyte Tyme colleague Alex O'Neal). For a re-union of the good ol' days of R&B from the 80's this is a sure bet !"