He was one-half of the Greenwich Village folk rock group Matthew & Peter in the 1970s. In 1978 he moved to Los Angeles, California, and sang for television commercials and as a backing vocalist for Rickie Lee Jones and Bette Midler.
Wilder's debut album, I Don't Speak the Language (1983), reached No. 49 on the Billboard 200, fueled by "Break My Stride". Wilder had some continued success with the single "The Kid's American", which reached No. 33 in 1984, but the single failed to match the success of "Break My Stride".
As with many people I knew Matthew Wilder only from his 1983 smash hit "Break My Stride",a song I loved from that era. But I knew nothing about this accompanying album. Upon hearing it I became aware that Matthew Wilder was definately one of the 80's pop dynamos that got away.
He ended up releasing only two albums,the second of which didn't far as well and written off as a bit of a one hit wonder. But all you have to do is take one listen to this album and you'll find out that this man was more then capable of delivering a high quality album of catchy,original pop songs.
In a world of white R&B,jazz,funk and caribbean/reggae influenced artists of the same era such as Teena Marie,Paul Simon and Robert Palmer Wilder fit right in-even bringing in some great musicians such as Paulinho DaCosta and bassists Reggie McBride and Alphonso Johnson along for the ride. Many of the songs have a light island flavor but each has it's own flavor.
After hearing the classic "Break My Stride" again we're treated to Wilder's other hit which is almost forgotton-the modernized Motown hand clap session of "The Kids American". One of the favorite song here is the title song,a soft mixture of electronica and calypso that really brings out the best in Wilder's wondeful falsetto.
"Love Above The Ground Floor" is the one song on the album that has the strongest reggae influence but also turns out to be a pleasant pop/R&B song as well. On "Worlds Of The Rich And Famous" Wilder tries his hand at a heavy funk jam and more then holds his own. "I Was There" is the only tune here that easily fits into the new wave rock sound of the era while the spacy ballads "Ladder Of Lovers" and "Dreams Keep Bringing You Back" both are similar,and followed by a reprise of the title song to conclude the album.
The R&B/caribbean style of the music here even follows a very loose concept,which lyrically explores an escape from the taudry realities of everyday life through dreams,travelling and personal experience. So you didn't think anything this complex or artistically satisfying could come from a one hit wonder?
Side one
1. Break My Stride - 3:00
2. The Kid's American - 4:36
3. I Don't Speak The Language - 4:45
4. Love Above The Ground Floor - 4:13
Side two
1. World Of The Rich And Famous - 4:43
2. Ladder Of Lovers - 4:04
3. I Was There - 3:01
4. Dreams Keep Bringing You Back - 4:36
5. I Don't Speak The Language (Reprise)- 1:20
Personnel
- Matthew Wilder – lead vocals (1-9), backing vocals (1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 8), Prophet-5 (1), Prophet-10 (2, 3, 5, 6, 9), acoustic piano, (4, 7, 8), horn arrangements (4), Rhodes Chroma (5)
- Bill Elliott – Prophet-5 (1), acoustic piano (2), Prophet-10 (3, 4, 6, 7, 9), horn arrangements (4)
- Bill Cuomo – Prophet-5 (3, 6, 8, 9), Rhodes Chroma (3, 5, 6, 8, 9)
- Paul Fox – E-mu Emulator (5, 7)
- Dennis Herring – guitar (1, 2, 7)
- Donald Griffin – guitar (4, 5)
- Tim Winston – guitar solo (5)
- John McFee – mandolin (8)
- Reggie McBride – bass (2)
- Rick Chudacoff – bass (4, 6, 7)
- Alphonso Johnson – bass (8)
- Peter Bunetta – drums (1-9), percussion (1), Oberheim DMX (1)
- John Gilston – Simmons drum programming (1-9)
- Paulinho da Costa – percussion (3, 6, 8, 9)
- Jerry Peterson – baritone saxophone (2)
- Lon Price – tenor saxophone (2)
- Bill Armstrong – trumpet (4)
- Gary Grant – trumpet (4)
- Greg Prestopino – backing vocals (1, 2, 8)
- Joe Turano – backing vocals (1, 2, 7, 8)
- Arno Lucas – backing vocals (2, 5)
- Leslie Smith – backing vocals (2, 5)
- Dee Dee Bellson – backing vocals (3, 4, 9)
- Mary Hylan – backing vocals (3, 4, 9)
- Edie Lehmann – backing vocals (3, 4, 9)
- Amy Weston – backing vocals (3, 4, 9)
- Anna Pagan – backing vocals (5)
- Anita Sherman – backing vocals (5)
Production
- Producers – Peter Bunetta, Rick Chudacoff and Bill Elliott.
- Executive Producers – Al Bunetta and Shingo Take
- Engineers – Csaba Pectoz (Track 1); Steve Zaretsky (All tracks).
- Assistant Engineers – Britt Bacon and Michael Franke (Track 1); Paul Ericksen, Mitch Gibson and Csaba Pectoz (Tracks 2-9).
- Mixed by Steve Zaretsky
- Design – Tommy Steele and Art Hotel
- Photography – William Warner
Notes
Release: 1983
Format: LP
Genre: Pop
Label: Epic Records
Catalog# EPC 25785
Vinyl: VG
Cover: VG
Prijs: €7,99
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