Barry White

This was Barry White's first bona fide success in close to two years. It is due in part to the slight change of his music formula. After albums such as the Love Unlimited Orchestra's Music Maestro, Please and 1976's Is This Whatcha Wont? disappeared without a trace, White ended his over the top musical extravagance and returned with a sleeker more relaxed style. Barry White Sings for Someone You Love is often so laid back, it's almost reclining. This album biggest hit was "It's Ecstasy When You Lay Down Next to Me." That song more than anything else here typified White's new and improved production style and offered one of his drollest vocals. The amazing "Oh What a Night" has him effortlessly capturing the drama of R&B from a decade or two earlier and it is both sensual and romantic. The sleeper of the album, "I Never Thought I'd Fall In Love With You," is lush, confident, and assured. If it appeared on an album before this, it's doubtful White could have gotten the subtle musical nuances or the plaintive vocal. As for pure ballads, "You Turned My Whole World Around" and "Of All the Guys in the World" are good, but with their interchangeable dirge-like paces, they practically cancel one another out. Barry White Sings for Someone You Love in essence restarted White's career and contains some of his best work. ~ Jason Elias, All Music Guide