Indestructible (Four Tops album)
Indestructible | ||||
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![]() One of two covers released simultaneously by Arista in different markets and formats; the other features the band in matching vermilion suits pointing to the camera | ||||
Studio album by | ||||
Released | August 25, 1988 | |||
Studio |
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Genre | Soul | |||
Length | 44:53 | |||
Language | English | |||
Label | Arista | |||
Producer | ||||
Four Tops chronology | ||||
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Indestructible is a studio album by American soul music vocal group the Four Tops. The album was released on August 25, 1988, their sole release on Arista Records.
Recording and release
[edit]Four Tops joined Motown in the mid-1960s and had several hits before leaving the following decade and experiencing a period of commercial and critical decline. After performing on the television special Motown 25: Yesterday, Today, Forever and collaborating with fellow Motown artists The Temptations on a subsequent tour, the Tops resigned to their first label.[1][2] They were also able to reunite songwriting team Holland–Dozier–Holland to produce one of their 1980s Motown albums and worked with other 1960s collaborators like Willie Hutch and Smokey Robinson.[3] The group re-entered the studio in 1986 with producer David Wolfert, who had previously produced them in many non-Motown releases.[4] Despite working on the release for several months[5] and issuing the single "Hot Nights" in July,[6] the sessions did not result in a new album and the group signed to Arista Records in 1987.[7] This would be the only album the group released with Arista; the song "Loco in Acapulco" appeared on the soundtrack to the film Buster and the group dueted with Aretha Franklin on her album Through the Storm on this label.
Reception
[edit]Review scores | |
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Source | Rating |
AllMusic | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
A brief review in Ebony recommended this album as a "sizzling set" and asked readers to "listen and marvel at the genius displayed".[9] Editors at AllMusic Guide scored this release three out of five stars, with reviewer Ron Wynn noting that Levi Stubbs' vocals remain strong late into the group's career.[8] The 1992 edition of The Rolling Stone Album Guide also rated this release three out of five stars.[10]
Track listing
[edit]- "Indestructible" (Michael Price and Bobby Sandstrom) – 4:32
- "Change of Heart" (Paul Kelly) – 4:50
- "If Ever a Love There Was" (Todd Cerney and Pamela Phillips Oland) – 4:48
- "The Sun Ain’t Gonna Shine" (Albert Hammond and Diane Warren) – 5:01
- "Next Time" (Eric Lowen and William Peterkin) – 3:19
- "Loco in Acapulco" (Phil Collins and Lamont Dozier) – 4:35
- "Are You with Me" (Mike Duke, Sean Hopper and Huey Lewis) – 4:46
- "I’m Only Wounded" (Hammond and Warren) – 3:34
- "When You Dance" (Jeffrey Cohen and Narada Michael Walden) – 5:09
- "Let’s Jam" (Steve Bogard and Rick Giles) – 4:20
2013 SoulMusic Records deluxe edition bonus tracks
- "The Four of Us" (Lawrence Payton) – 4:13
- "Loco in Acapulco" (Body Mix) – 4:24
- "Loco in Acapulco" (Ph Dub) – 6:45
- "Loco in Acapulco" (Ph Balance Mix – Full Version) – 9:08
- "Indestructible" (Extended Mix) – 7:43
Personnel
[edit]Four Tops
- Renaldo Benson – bass vocals
- Abdul Fakir – first tenor vocals
- Lawrence Payton – second tenor and second lead vocals
- Levi Stubbs – lead baritone vocals
Musicians and additional personnel
- Bobby Sandstrom – keyboards (1), arrangements (1)
- Walter Afanasieff – keyboards (2, 4, 9), Moog Modular bass (4, 9)
- Ren Klyce – Fairlight CMI (2, 4)
- Aaron Zigman – keyboards (3, 6), all instruments (5, 8), rhythm arrangements (6)
- Sean Hopper – keyboards (7), arrangements (7)
- Sterling Smith – Roland Juno keyboard horns (9)
- Jim Lang – keyboards (10), synthesizers (10), drum programming (10), arrangements (10)
- Steve Barri – additional synthesizers (10)
- Tony Peluso – additional synthesizers (10), arrangements (10)
- Michael Landau – guitars (1, 6)
- Corrado Rustici – MIDI rhythm guitar (2)
- Vernon "Ice" Black – rhythm guitar (4)
- Paul Jackson Jr. – guitars (6)
- David Williams – guitars (6)
- Johnny Colla – guitars (7)
- Chris Hayes – guitars (7)
- Joe Satriani– rhythm guitar (9), guitar solo (9)
- Dann Huff – guitars (10)
- Jeff Steele – bass (1)
- Randy Jackson – Moog bass (2, 9)
- Jerry Knight – bass (3), all instruments (5, 8)
- Freddie Washington – bass (6)
- Mario Cipollina – bass (7)
- Albert Hammond – additional bass (8), additional drums (8)
- John Robinson – drums (1, 3)
- Bongo Bob Smith – E-mu SP-12 percussion programming (2, 4, 9), drum sampling (2, 4, 9)
- Narada Michael Walden – arrangements (2, 4, 9), drums (4, 9)
- Gigi Gonaway – cymbals (2, 4), hi-hat (2)
- Phil Collins – drums (6), additional backing vocals (6)
- Bill Gibson – drums (7)
- Freddy Alwag – drum augmentation (10)
- Kenny G – saxophone solo (3)
- Clarence Clemons – saxophone solo (4)
- Larry Williams – saxophone solo (8)
- Richard Elliot – saxophone (10)
- Lamont Dozier – rhythm arrangements (6)
- Paul Riser – horn and string arrangements (6)
- Smokey Robinson – additional lead vocals (1)
- Jim Gilstrap – additional backing vocals (2, 4)
- Phillip Ingram – additional backing vocals (2, 4)
- Claytoven Richardson – additional backing vocals (2, 4, 9)
- Aretha Franklin – lead duet vocals (3)
- Kitty Beethoven – additional backing vocals (4)
- Joe Turano – additional backing vocals (4)
- Huey Lewis and the News – additional backing vocals (7)
Production
[edit]- Clive Davis – executive producer
- Steve Barri – executive producer (1), producer (10)
- Bobby Sandstrom – producer (1)
- Narada Michael Walden – producer (2, 4, 9)
- Aaron Zigman – producer (3, 5), additional production (8)
- Jerry Knight – producer (3, 5), additional production (8)
- Phil Collins – producer (6)
- Lamont Dozier – producer (6)
- Huey Lewis – producer (7)
- Albert Hammond – producer (8)
- Tony Peluso – producer (10)
- Julie Barri – production coordinator (1, 10)
- Gail Pierson – production coordinator (1, 10)
- Margery Greenspan – art direction
- JM – design
- David Katzenstein – photography
- Andrew Macpherson – front cover photography
Technical
- Greg Calbi – mastering at Sterling Sound (New York, NY)
- Bobby Sandstrom – engineer (1)
- Terry Christian – engineer (1)
- Tony Peluso – engineer (1)
- Erik Zobler – engineer (1), mix engineer (1)
- David Frazer – recording (2, 4, 9), mixing (2, 4, 9)
- Daren Klein – engineer (3, 5), mixing (3, 5)
- Rick Ruggieri – engineer (6)
- Reggie Dozier – mixing (6)
- Robert Missbach – recording (7), mixing (7)
- Mick Guzauski – engineer (8), mixing (8)
- Tony Peluso – recording (10), mixing (10)
- Mitch Gibson – second engineer (1)
- Dana Jon Chappelle – assistant engineer (2, 4, 9)
- Bryan Haggerty – additional vocal engineer (2)
- Wally Buck – assistant engineer (7)
- Jim "Watts" Vereecke – assistant engineer (7)
- Debbie Johnson – assistant engineer (10)
Chart performance
[edit]Indestructible peaked at 149 on the Billboard 200 and reached 66 on the R&B charts.[11] The album also spent 10 weeks on the German charts, peaking at 33.[12] The single of the title track reached 35 on the Hot 100[13] and 57 on the R&B charts;[11] the followup single, "If Ever a Love There Was" subsequently reached 31 on the R&B chart.[11]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ Larkin, Colin, ed. (May 27, 2011). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music. Omnibus Press. p. 1228. ISBN 9780857125958.
- ^ Betts, Graham (May 2, 2014). "Four Tops". Motown Encyclopedia. AC Publishing. ISBN 9781311441546.
- ^ Dozier, Lamont; Bomar, Scott B. (November 26, 2019). How Sweet It Is: A Songwriter's Reflections on Music, Motown and the Mystery of the Muse. BMG Books. ISBN 9781947026513.
- ^ George, Nelson (January 25, 1986). "The Rhythm and the Blues". Billboard. Vol. 98, no. 4. p. 41. ISSN 0006-2510.
- ^ George, Nelson (January 25, 1986). "The Rhythm and the Blues". Black. Billboard. Vol. 98, no. 24. p. 28. ISSN 0006-2510.
- ^ Grein, Paul (July 5, 1986). "July's Releases Bring Fireworks". Billboard. Vol. 98, no. 27. p. 4. ISSN 0006-2510.
- ^ "People Are Talking About...". Jet. Vol. 72, no. 6. May 4, 1987. p. 59. ISSN 0021-5996.
- ^ a b Wynn, Ron. "The Four Tops – Indestructible". AllMusic Guide. Retrieved May 10, 2023.
- ^ "Sounding Off: The Best in Recorded Music". Ebony. Vol. 44, no. 2. December 1988. p. 24. ISSN 0012-9011.
- ^ DeCurtis, Anthony; George-Warren, Holly; Henke, James, eds. (1992). The Rolling Stone Album Guide: Completely New Reviews : Every Essential Album, Every Essential Artist. Random House. p. 260. ISBN 9780679737292.
- ^ a b c "US Albums". AllMusic Guide. Archived from the original on November 30, 2012. Retrieved June 23, 2016.
- ^ "Offizielle Deutsche Charts" (in German). Officielle Charts. Retrieved May 10, 2023.
- ^ Whitburn, Joel (1994). ""Four Tops"". Top Pop Singles 1955–1993. Record Research Inc. ISBN 0-89820-105-5.
External links
[edit]- Indestructible at Discogs (list of releases)
- Indestructible at MusicBrainz (list of releases)
- 1988 albums
- Albums produced by Aaron Zigman
- Albums produced by Albert Hammond
- Albums produced by Huey Lewis
- Albums produced by Jerry Knight
- Albums produced by Lamont Dozier
- Albums produced by Narada Michael Walden
- Albums produced by Phil Collins
- Albums produced by Steve Barri
- Albums produced by Tony Peluso
- Arista Records albums
- Four Tops albums