Your Secret Love

An album for lovers, plain and simple. Lovers of others, lovers of smooth, soulful music, and, most of all, lovers of Luther Vandross' singular vocal talent. There's nothing really new here, and that's probably the way it should be--why mess with success? The arrangements are tasteful, spare and elegant. The songs--all ballads, most of them in the mold of the clean, airy, atmospheric funk Luther has specialised in through the years--are about the love emotion, and all the emotional entanglements it brings out.

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An album for lovers, plain and simple. Lovers of others, lovers of smooth, soulful music, and, most of all, lovers of Luther Vandross' singular vocal talent. There's nothing really new here, and that's probably the way it should be--why mess with success? The arrangements are tasteful, spare and elegant. The songs--all ballads, most of them in the mold of the clean, airy, atmospheric funk Luther has specialised in through the years--are about the love emotion, and all the emotional entanglements it brings out.
"Love Don't Love You Anymore" is a haunting number, replete with treated, bells-in-heaven background vocals, and this warning: "See, love is a society, any fool cannot belong". Yes, this is Luther's universe, no doubt. And check this, Stevie fans: Luther covers a song that could have been written just for him, the exquisite "Knocks Me Off My Feet". Put an extra log on the fire, or light a few candles, lay down, throw Luther on the box and well, you know the rest.

Vibe (12/96, p.183)
- "...Dim the lights, pop the cork on the Chianti....Luther proves he's still a master at setting the mood..."

Q (12/96, p.144)
- 3 Stars (out of 5)
- "...sees the King of US soul deliver a range of ballads with his characteristic sharp, smooth phrasing and an all-star backing chorus..."