Cherelle – Alexander O’Neal

Alexander O’Neal

ALEXANDER O’NEAL

BOTH TABU

Before they were all but monopolised by Janet Jackson, writer/producer/players Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis dominated the freshly electric ’80s soul scene, penning hits for everyone from The Human League to The SOS Band. And while the dry ice and perms of these album sleeves might have dated beyond redemption, the Jam/Lewis sound, in which these two albums are richly marinated, hasn’t lost its ability to make you weak at the knees. Highlight of Cherelle’s High Priority is the melancholy “Saturday Love”, a duet with O’Neal, whose eponymous album features his own career zenith, “If You Were Here Tonight”.