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6 Degrees Entertainment

Title - I’m For Real – The Elektra Recordings 1986-1992
Artist - Howard Hewett

Howard Hewett: I’m For Real – The Elektra Recordings 1986-1992 is a wondrous 4CD Box-Set featuring Howard Hewett and was released this month via SoulMusic Records/Cherry Red Records UK).

This is an impressive deluxe collection of expanded editions of the four best-selling albums by the ever-soulful Howard Hewett, whose rise to international prominence began with the global hit making trio Shalamar.

Featuring 56 tracks, this first-of-its-kind 4CD box set is titled after ‘I’m For Real’, Howard’s Top 5 RnB hit single from his debut Elektra LP, ‘I Commit To Love’.

CD 1: I Commit To Love [Expanded Edition]
1. Stay
2. I’m For Real
3. Last Forever
4. I Commit To Love
5. In A Crazy Way
6. Love Don’t Wanna Wait
7. I Got 2 Go
8. Eye On You
9. Let’s Try It All Over Again
10. Say Amen
11. Roberta Flack/Howard Hewett: Let Me Be A Light To Shine [Bonus Track]
12. I’m For Real (Single Edit) [Bonus Track]
13. Stay (Before Midnight Mix) [Bonus Track]
14. Obsession (From The Heavenly Kid Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) [Bonus Track]

Howard Hewett made a smooth transition from being a member of the trio Shalamar to becoming a bona fide solo artist with his first single to hit the Billboard R&B charts being the romantically enchanting I’m for Real.

Too fast to be a ballad and not fast enough to be a jam, Hewett still captivated radio and his audience with this moderate number. The Ohio native glides from his lacerating tenor to his striking falsetto highs supported by cogent backing vocals. The classic piece peaked at number two on the charts.

The single Stay has a crossover appeal, but it never made a dent in the pop charts and was, in truth, just not as impressive as I’m for Real. However, it did manage to show at number eight on the Billboard R&B charts. The titular I Commit to Love falls short as well for it is just too saturated with pop seasonings, for my personal taste.

Nonetheless, it tipped in at number 12 on the Billboard R&B charts. The final release was the inspirational selection Say Amen, which is Hewett’s personal testimony of being given a second chance after his battle with life’s various vices. Indeed, it has since become an anthem for many and inside ten weeks, it peaked at number 54.

CD 2: Forever And Ever [Expanded Edition]
1. Strange Relationship
2. Natural Love
3. Once, Twice, Three Times
4. You’ll Find Another Man
5. Forever And Ever
6. Shakin’ My Emotion
7. Share A Love
8. This Time
9. Challenge
10. Goodbye Good Friday
11. Ain’t No Mountain High Enough (with Stacey Lattisaw)
12. Say Amen (New Vocal Version)
13. The Ten Commandments of Love [Bonus Track]
14. Strange Relationship (Extended Version) [Bonus Track]

The next album still continues to showcase Howard Hewett’s soulful voicals, but his overall lack of solo success after leaving the powerhaus Shalamar was among the more frustrating stories of the late ’80s, in my humble opinion.

He had the vocal skills and the looks to be a major attraction, but couldn’t get the consistently good material he needed and, I think we can all agree, fully deserved.

That all said, this excellent 1988 album had three charts hits, including the superb Once, Twice, Three Times, but just couldn’t earn Hewett the star power he so richly himself musically fought for.

CD 3: Howard Hewett [Expanded Edition]
1. Howard Hewett/Anita Baker – When Will It Be
2. Show Me
3. If I Could Only Have That Day Back
4. Let Me Show You How To Fall In Love
5. I Do
6. The More I Get (The More I Want)
7. Let’s Get Deeper
8. Shadow
9. I Know You’ll Be Back
10. Don’t Give In
11. Jesus
12. If I Could Only Have That Day Back (12″ Extended Vocal) [Bonus Track]
13. Can’t Tell You Why [Bonus Track]

This third album, Howard Hewett has a string of solid ballads and mid-tempo numbers before bowing to some experimental material with the first single being the lovely Show Me. Here Hewett delivers a compassionate performance as he craves to make good on the lyrics. For two consecutive weeks it held the number two spot on the Billboard R&B charts.

On a more mid-tempo note, the second single If I Could only Have that Day Back comes across as a pop-oriented number. Nonetheless, the single is inviting and peaked at 14. The third release was Let Me Show You How to Fall in Love and is a groove created around a mid-tempo rhythm that had massive crossover appeal. However, it peaked at 67 after only eight weeks on the charts.

The misfortune on this album is that When Will It Be and I Do were never released. The former is a duet with the incomparable Anita Baker where the two gifted singers earnestly complement one another in a lyric centered around the bewildering quest for world harmony; the song is cradled in a elegant, jazzy arrangement that is contagious to any listener.

CD 4: Allegiance [Expanded Edition]
1. To Thee I Pray: Intro
2. Save Your Sex For Me
3. Allegiance
4. Can We Try Again
5. How Fast Forever Goes
6. Can’t Get Over Your Love
7. To Thee I Pray: Interlude
8. Say You Will
9. Take It To the Highest
10. From This Day On
11. Ronnie-O
12. Masquerade
13. Just Like A Woman
14. To Thee I Pray
15. David Sanborn ft. Howard Hewett: Got To Give It Up [Bonus Track]

On this fourth, and final album of the set, Howard Hewett split the production duties between Tommy LiPluma, Narada Michael Walden, Barry Mann, Nick Martinelli, and himself.

One would think that he would get lost in this, but the opposite becomes true. While on the surface this seems like a by-the-numbers effort, with its unearthly momentum, Allegiance is an oddly fascinating record.

Hewett is a little intense to pull off the insouciant lover man act as Save Your Sex for Me and the Prince-penned, titular Allegiance proves. What Hewett is great at is melodic and hooky R&B/pop, and once Allegiance gets going it really doesn’t stop.

The best Walden productions, Can We Try Again and Can’t Get Over Your Love, have Hewett subtly attaining the sensuality he was begging for a few songs earlier. LiPluma places Hewett in the sounds like a classic pop-based direction and he gets to the point even faster.

On the ballads How Fast Forever Goes and Just Like a Woman, and the theatrical Ronnie-O, Hewett gives a sense of believability and charisma with each line. This album is so charmed that the overwrought, though well-intentioned inspirational number To Thee I Pray is enjoyable too.

Unfortunately, Allegiance wasn’t a big seller, but it presents Hewett in great voice and displays his underrated range and likability.

With photographs from Howard’s personal collection featured in the stellar artwork by Roger Williams, plus excellent mastering by Nick Robbins, ‘I’m For Real’ is co- produced by acclaimed music historian and writer Tim Dillinger and SoulMusic.com founder David Nathan, whose liner notes for the box set include extensive 2022 quotes and comments from Howard himself.

Official 4CD Purchase Link

SoulMusic.com

www.cherryred.co.uk





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