Tracklist

Side one

1. Can't Slow Down
2. All Night Long (All Night)
3. Penny Lover
4. Stuck On You

Side two

1. Love Will Find a Way
2. The Only One
3. Running With the Night
4. Hello

Thoughts

I was watching an old episode of Top Gear that featured Lionel Richie as the Star in a Reasonably Priced Car and that lodged him in my mind as an artist that I should listen to soon. I’ve previously reviewed a Commodores album but not any of his solo work.

This album features one of Richie's most famous songs, Hello, which is generally considered something of an overplayed, 'creepy clay head in the video', cheesy love song. In context, though, it works so much better. It's the last song on the album, so you've had plenty of time to get into the groove with Richie's buttery smooth vocals and then he switches into earnest desire. "Tell me how to win your heart / 'Cause I haven't got a clue." I will, Lionel, I will!

I listen to albums to try and understand an artist's work, not just settling for the greatest hits. But this record could be a playlist of essential Richie songs - five of the eight tracks were singles, and all five of them are classic songs. I didn't know the other three but they held their own against the hits. Title track Can't Slow Down had 80s synth and drums with an upbeat feel that slid perfectly into the next song All Night Long (All Night).

This album is a 5 out of 5. I'd happily put it on again rather than a greatest hits playlist because it gives the songs the context they need to shine.

Rating: 5 / 5