Love's the Place to Be
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| Love's the Place to Be | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | August 3, 1993 | |||
| Studio |
| |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 56:34 | |||
| Label | Mercury | |||
| Producer |
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| Will Downing chronology | ||||
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Love's the Place to Be is the fourth studio album by the American musician Will Downing, released by Mercury Records in 1993.[1][2] His first album for the label,[3][4] it peaked at number 166 on the US Billboard 200.[5] "There's No Living Without You" peaked at number 67 on the UK Singles Chart.[6]
Among the album's many producers were Barry Eastmond and Ronnie Foster.[3] Stevie Wonder contributed harmonica to "That's All".[3] Rachelle Ferrell duets with Downing on "Nothing Has Ever Felt Like This".[7]
Critical reception
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [8] |
| The Charlotte Observer | [9] |
| Daily Breeze | [10] |
| The Encyclopedia of Popular Music | [1] |
| Music Week | [11] |
| MusicHound R&B: The Essential Album Guide |  [12] |
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution called the album "the kind of romantic, elegant material that fans of the highly touted Luther Vandross wish he would return to."[13] The Charlotte Observer deemed it "a masterpiece," writing that "the three-song suite 'Do You Still Love Me'/'Hey Girl'/'Break Up to Make Up' is one of the best things to hit CD in a long time."[9] The Dallas Morning News thought that "Downing has matured into a stunning stylist, caressing such classics as Nat 'King' Cole's 'That's All' [and] the Stylistics' 'Break Up to Make Up' ... with a reverence that still leaves room for redefining."[14]
The Daily Breeze wrote that "most of the 11 tracks spin at the same speed and intensity, thus there is no chance for the highs and lows."[10] The New York Times said that Downing's "rich baritone is tailor-made for intimacy, his phrasing both deliberate and effortless."[15]
AllMusic editor Jason Birchmeier wrote that "these songs were all some of Downing's best work ... showcasing his vocal prowess."[8]
Track listing
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "There's No Living Without You" |
|
| 4:15 |
| 2. | "Sailing on a Dream" |
|
| 6:09 |
| 3. | "One Moment" |
| Barry Eastmond | 4:43 |
| 4. | "Nothing Has Ever Felt Like This" (featuring Rachelle Ferrell) | Ferrell | Eastmond | 6:21 |
| 5. | "Love's the Place to Be" | Ronnie Foster | Foster | 5:00 |
| 6. | "Lovers Paradise" |
| Foster | 4:42 |
| 7. | "Everything to Me" |
|
| 4:20 |
| 8. | "Do You Still Love Me" |
| Eastmond | 4:55 |
| 9. | "Hey Girl" |
| 5:25 | |
| 10. | "Break Up to Make Up" |
| 5:07 | |
| 11. | "That's All" |
| Foster | 5:37 |
| Total length: | 56:34 | |||