By Rodmann (12.223.170.105) on Sunday, April 04, 2004 - 08:21 pm:

I was just at allmusic.com and I see that Patti LaBelle is signed to the Def Jam label now is all set to release a new album called "Timeless Journey" on May 4, 2004. This may be old news to most of you but I'm just finding this out.

I know that in 2000 Patti released an album called "When A Woman Loves" but it didn't do too well (in sales and on the charts). Although I've never heard the whole album I think that part of the problem was the production. Sappy songwriter Diane Warren (Celine Dion, Mariah Carey, Michael Bolton) wrote ALL of the songs and served as Executive Producer. There's the problem! Diane's songs and productions are soulless and too Adult Contemporary. Patti needs to get back in the studio with folks like Bunny Sigler and Bobby Womack and take us back to those 'Love Has Finally Come At Last'/'If Only You Knew' days. Jeff Townes (DJ Jazzy Jeff) who produced the bulk of Jill Scott's first album would even be more appropriate than Diane Warren! Producer Mike City is another current producer who I think would do her justice.

I'm curious to see who she's been working with on this new album. She would sound just as ridiculous singing teenybopper Hip Hop/Pop tunes as she did singing soulless Diane Warren Adult Contemporary/Pop. I really hope that she has found the right material and producers to work with on this new project. Patti's at her best singing sophisticated Soul tunes that still have some grit to them. What do you Patti fans think about all of this and has anyone heard the new single 'New Day'? I have to admit that I'm just glad to see that Patti's still at it sounding and looking great regardless of what she's singing! Thanks.

By Juicefree20 (141.149.53.204) on Sunday, April 04, 2004 - 09:14 pm:

First Teena & now Patti. Maybe the Hip Hop labels will turn out to be a resurrective force for our old school acts. I'm not saying that Patti is past her prime, I mean that it looks like these labels are looking to mine some of that Soul gold. For those who don't think that it's possible, remember that in 1979, most of us said that Rap music would never last. 25 years later, it's everywhere. I hope that they continue to sign more classic artists.

Juice

By Eli (172.169.123.131) on Sunday, April 04, 2004 - 09:23 pm:

Patti is on Def Jam Classics which is their sub label devoted to classic soul artists.

By 1Wicked (24.126.64.72) on Sunday, April 04, 2004 - 10:11 pm:

I hope it all works out for Patti, but (quoting comedian D.L. Hughley) she needs to "Come On Home". Her last *big* hit was written by Ron "Have Mercy" Kersey...and I think a return to her Philly roots would do her good. I'd call it "Home Grown"...and feature new/unreleased songs from the likes of Thom Bell, Cynthia Biggs, Eli/Barrett, Hawes/Jefferson/Simmons, etc. + some of the newer Philly writers (if they can keep it on point and "timeless"...while making it contemporary).

The bottom line IMHO is that Patti needs to find a focus. If A&R people still exist, they have done her no justice...or HER choices are suspect and she needs help finding a direction. (And forget going after a "crossover" hit..."dance with who brung ya".)

By Juicefree20 (141.149.53.204) on Sunday, April 04, 2004 - 11:41 pm:

Hey Bobby E! Thanks for the info. Are they planning to add to the roster? Wicked, I agree with you whole heartedly. It's time for R&B to get back to the Soul! Styles may change, but Soul is the essence of life.

Juice

By Linda Di. (66.67.193.82) on Sunday, April 04, 2004 - 11:47 pm:

I last saw Patti live in 2001. She was touring to promote her CD (mentioned above) "When A Woman Loves." And while I would pay to hear Patti sing the phone book, not everybody else will. The material in her show that night was mostly from the above CD and nobody in the audience was familiar with. I heard terrible grumblings from fellow concertgoers as the show was letting out. People want to hear her other material -- her Philly material and On My Own, etc. I hope as she goes on tour this year, her older material is liberally sprinkled in with her new material.

By Linda Di. (66.67.193.82) on Sunday, April 04, 2004 - 11:49 pm:

And I hope her new material suits her better this time! Cuz nobody does it like Patti.

By Rodmann (12.223.170.105) on Monday, April 05, 2004 - 03:48 am:

I totally agree with all of you. And Wicked you hit the nail right on it's head! Patti definitely needs to "Come On Home" musically. If she wants to "go places" on the charts then she's going to have to bring her core audience (us Soul fans) with her! Watered down and overproduced Diane Warren Pop tunes are just not gonna cut it!

Patti can still easily sing circles around ANYBODY that's hitting the charts today. If she works with the right producers and finds material that is suitable for her I don't see any reason why she couldn't have a commercially successful album this time around with 2 or 3 hit singles.

By Reese (204.152.13.208) on Monday, April 05, 2004 - 12:59 pm:

Rodmann:

I wasn't all that thrilled with the WHEN A WOMAN LOVES cd. The material was ok, but some of it was a bit sappy. And the songs that Patti chose to sing on tv to promote it (usually the title song) weren't that great.

I also feel that it might have done better if a few singles were released from it. Remember, this was Patti's first album after the labels stopped regularly releasing singles. The only release I saw from the album was a 12-inch of TOO MANY TEARS that was geared towards the dance crowd.

Prior to that, all of her MCA studio albums generated at least one Top 20 R&B hit, and most had at least a Top 10. As a result, all but one of her MCA studio albums prior to this one went gold. As it was, this album peaked at #73 or so on the pop charts, so it didn't flop too badly.


I have heard the new single NEW DAY. Its pretty good. And from what I've read, its getting a good reaction at radio.

By Tony Russi (68.18.38.32) on Monday, April 05, 2004 - 01:13 pm:

I like Wickeds idea of Patti going back to her Philly Soul days.I think I listened to Patti's last LP ONCE all the way through & then on the shelf it went.No matter how great a vocalist is they can not overcome bad material & or bad production.

By Rodmann (12.223.170.105) on Wednesday, April 07, 2004 - 09:32 am:

I just heard Patti's new single 'New Day' and it's OK. It doesn't have that organic "Philly Soul" sound that I was hoping for but it's not bad at all. It sounds a little like Carl Thomas' 'I Wish' which was produced by Mike City. Maybe I'll enjoy it more when I hear it a few more times.

By the way, 'New Day' was produced by up and coming Hip-Hop producer Jason Rome who has worked with Ludacris, Jagged Edge and Dru Hill.

By Handsome (170.118.158.14) on Wednesday, April 07, 2004 - 11:56 am:

Hi Everyone!

I am a Patti Fan, and almost own everything she recorded. I have the last cd, When A Woman Loves, and though it did put Patti in a different light, songwise & vocally, I will admit the cd was medicore at best. I haven't heard the new single yet, but I look forward to it.

Handsome