Search - Gladys Knight & The Pips :: All Our Love

Perfectly Hot Finale!!!!

Beverly Praiswater | 05/23/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This was Gladys Knight and the Pips last recorded album together before Gladys went off on her solo career. It is well worth having, not just from the collector's point of view, but because there are some interesting and great numbers.



From the opening number "Love Overboard" with it's heavy beat, pulsating bass, and complex instrumental and vocal arrangements, this one is a cooker! No wonder this was a big hit single! "Lovin' On Next To Nothing" was another big hit from this work. "You" is a wonderful ballad that is a soulful love anthem! "Let Me Be The One" is a masterful ballad that Gladys sings perfectly. The scorcher, "Complete Recovery" has a catchy beat with a wildly fun arrangement plus a hot sax solo. "It's Gonna Take All Our Love" is the most magnificent song on the album. It has rich feeling, a beautiful arrangement, and Gladys singing from the depth of her soul. The final song "Overnight Success" is one of Gladys' great torch songs. The string section of this song was arranged by Burt Bacharach.



Certainly a must mention is the contribution from brilliant musicians on this album. George Duke, Dave Koz, Billy Preston, Jeff Lorber, Tom Snow, and Pablo Batista are just a few of the names that may be familiar to most music lovers. The album was produced by Gladys and her brother Bubba. It is a genuine labor of love.



If you are a Gladys Knight and the Pips fan and haven't added this one to your collection, you must ask yourself "why?" Don't put it off, get it soon."

A Diamond Mine...Some Gems Polished, Some Rough.

Ristobee | South of LAX | 01/16/2001

(4 out of 5 stars)

""All Our Love" is a delightful CD, albeit uneven as far as material is concerned, with high quality vocals from Miss Knight and The Pips throughout.

The first three songs LOVE OVERBOARD, LIVING ON NEXT TO NOTHING, and THIEF IN PARADISE (my personal favorite) are fantastic; energetic, powerful and complex. YOU deserves honorable mention for the great vocals. LET ME BE THE ONE is a romantic ballad with a lovely melody. COMPLETE RECOVERY is a terrific up-tempo number that sizzles. SAY WHAT YOU MEAN (the title kind of says it all) a pounding message song, sung with truth and conviction with outstanding vocal arrangements.

On the remaining cuts it is the arrangements, not the vocals, that range from clumsy to lackluster; IT'S GOING TO TAKE ALL OUR LOVE is simply a slow, bland ballad. LOVE IS FIRE (LOVE IS ICE) has a great chorus, but little else worth mentioning, while POINT OF VIEW had the most potential for a great mid-tempo gem but falls a bit short.

The exception comes at the end of the disc; OVERNIGHT SUCCESS is a ballad beauty that works on many levels. A truly outstanding recording.



Perhaps because "All Our Love" is Gladys Knight & The Pips' last CD together, it was the producers goal to give us a collection that showcased all of the styles of music that this brilliant group has entertained us with over the years. Overall, this is a CD that any Gladys Knight and the Pips fan will enjoy having in their collection for many reasons."

Knight's singing packs punch

Beverly Praiswater | 12/19/1998

(3 out of 5 stars)

"This is the final full-CD effort released by the group before Knight began her current career as a solo performer. It includes one of their biggest and best hits: "Love Overboard". Gladys rides the slinky groove with restrained passion, while the Pips support her with some of their most appropriate falsetto cries ("Doot! Doot! Doot!"). The rest of the CD's songwriting and production doesn't live up to the standard of "Overboard" (which was written and produced by Reggie and Vincent Calloway), but Knight's singing consistently packs punch. Her throbbing wails ring out on tracks like "Complete Recovery" and "Say What You Mean"."