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Believer Is Beautiful!

Andre S. Grindle | Brewer Maine | 05/04/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"'Believer',in my opinion should've been HUGE!This 1983 recording comes during that period when Nile Rodgers was recording solo records and producing music for artists such as Madonna and David Bowie.In my humble opinion I cannot see why 'Believer' didn't jump out and become a huge comeback hit for Chic the way that 'Breakout' did for the Pointer Sisters.One reason may have been that unlike Real People/Tongue in Chic or Take It Off there is hardly a remnant of the "old" Chic sound on 'Believer'-the production is decidly crisp and contemporary with the compulsive early 80's handclaps,polyphonic synths,digital effects and early sampling (including the voice of Clark Gable) that will keep Chic fans begging for more.But the electro production is tempered by the high quality of the songs;the opening title song,"You Are Beautiful" and "Give Me The Lovin'" being fine examples.There are times here where Chic return to very organic territory such as on the POP PERFECT "In Love With My Music",with it's sing-a-long type hook.The same thing happens on the albums closing ballad "Take A Closer Look".On "Party Everyday" the band explores rap,a genre they helped to popularize through early hip-hops appropriation of "Good Times" but had never tinkered with themselves,and if I may say so Chic's own contribution is definately worth it."You Got Some Love For Me" and "Show Me Your Light" show yet more very prominant pop influences,that of early 80's dance pop that grew out of what Chic did several years earlier.What that leaves Chic with is that 'Believer' finds them very successfully catching up with a generation of dance and funk singers and musicians who were trying to catch up with them.And even though the album was a commercial clinker,in classic Chic style Nile and Bernard truely make the music their own."

I'm a Believer!

World Champion | Bridgeport, Ct. United States | 06/18/2007

(4 out of 5 stars)

"1983. The very last year of musical creativity in R&B music. After that, other than a handful of artists, most of the music was what I call "microwave pop" which sorely depended on sythesisers and drum machines to make songs that lacked the "soul" of their predecesors.

But Bernard Edwards and Nile Rodgers did it right with this album, the wonderfully produced "Believer". I remember listening to them give an interview promoting this album on WBLS in New York hosted by the late Frankie Crocker. This is when I heard the lead off single "Give Me The Lovin'" for the first time. I had to have this album. I loved it from start to finish.

I especially enjoyed Tony Thompson's enhanced power-drumming which he used again on the Power Station project. What I did miss, however were the Chic Strings. I feel songs like, "Take A Closer Look" and "In Love With Music" would've been better with the Strings. To me, Chic without the String section is like Earth, Wind & Fire without the horns (something that was an obvious factor that contributed to the failure of EWF's "Electric Universe" album also released in1983).

It's too bad this album wasn't promoted the way it should've been. But nonetheless, some of the greatest albums in music never really get noticed.

Thank You Mr. Rodgers for this great piece of music. And to you Mr. Edwards and Mr. Thompson......may you rest in peace."