She was discovered by George Clinton, who hired her as a background vocalist in 1977 for The Brides of Funkenstein, one of the many acts in his Funkadelic stable. In 1980, she recorded and toured with Roy Ayers. Young became a background vocalist for The Gap Band the same year and was featured with the group on the funk hit "Oops Up Side Your Head". She recorded five albums with the group and also toured with them.
It was not until she met Rick James that she became popular as a solo artist. James promoted her as the "Black Marilyn Monroe", and brought Young to Berry Gordy, who signed her to Motown Records on James' recommendation. James produced her debut album Seduction, which was released in 1985, it included the singles "Mind Games" and the title track "Seduction", as well as "Piece of My Heart" and "If You Should Ever Be Lonely", which were successful follow-ups in 1986.
1985 was a memorable year for Rick James; that year, he recorded Glow (one of his more adventurous albums of the 1980s), produced and wrote the Mary Jane Girls' All Four You, and did some work with former Brides of Funkenstein member Val Young (who Motown signed on James' recommendation). James' influence is strong on Young's first solo album, Seduction -- he wrote and produced two of the songs ("Piece of My Heart" and the intoxicating title track), while the rest of the LP was produced by Fred Jenkins and Stone City Band keyboardist Levi Ruffin Jr. Some of the Mary Jane Girls contribute background vocals, and Young's accompaniment includes members of James' Stone City Band.
But Young is certainly her own person -- in fact, she wrote or co-wrote the lyrics for six of the nine songs.
Though parts of Seduction are very James-influenced, "Let's Fall in Love" and "Tellin' Me Lies" are closer to the type of material that Kashif would have produced for Evelyn "Champagne" King in the 1980s.
And while Young is an R&B singer first and foremost, she incorporates pop/rock elements with pleasing results on "Mind Games" and the playful, slightly new wave-ish "Come Hang Out."
This good to excellent album did moderately well, but not as well as it should have -- and regrettably, Young never made it to the next level commercially.
Side A
A1. Mind Games - 4:01
A2. If You Should Ever Be Lonely - 3:52
A3. Let’s Fall In Love - 3:30
A4. Tellin’ Me Lies - 3:36
A5. Come Hang Out - 4:32
Side B
B1. Seduction (Vocals: Rick James) - 6:40
B2. Piece Of My Heart - 4:45
B3. Waiting For You - 3:48
B4. Make Up Your Mind - 4:46
Credits
- Art Direction – Johnny Lee
- Backing Vocals – Candice Ghant, JoAnn McDuffie, LaMorris Payne, Val Young
- Bass – Jerry Livingston
- Design – Janet Levinson
- Drums, Synthesizer, Congas, Timbales, Guitar, Backing Vocals – Rick James
- Engineer – Tom Flye
- Engineer [Assistant] – Bill Waldman, Bruce Kane
- Executive Producer – Rick James
- Guitar – Tom McDermott
- Guitar, Piano, Synthesizer, Bass, Grand Piano, Backing Vocals – Fred Jenkins
- Guitar, Synthesizer – Kenny Hawkins
- Mastered By – Jose Rodriguez
- Mixed By – Fred Jenkins, Levi Ruffin, Jr., Rick James
- Other [Album Concept] – Rick James
- Other [Assistant Project Coordinator] – Linda Hunt
- Other [Hair Design] – Tony "Sasson" Smith
- Other [Make Up] – Style East Catherine & Mary Ellen
- Other [Management] – Stone City Enterprises, Ltd.
- Other [Project Coordinator] – Ronald L. Byrd, Wendy Doherty
- Other [Wardrobe Designer] – Elke Weise
- Percussion – Jerry Rainey, Nate Hughes
- Photography – Jim Bush
- Synthesizer, Electric Piano [Rhodes] – Greg Levias
- Synthesizer, Percussion – Daniel LeMelle
- Synthesizer, Strings, Percussion, Piano, Backing Vocals – Levi Ruffin, Jr.
Recorded & Mixed at The Joint Studio, Buffalo, New York
Mastered at Sterling Sound Studios, New York City, New York
Mastered at Sterling Sound Studios, New York City, New York
Notes
Release: 1985
Format: LP
Genre: Soul, Funk
Label: Gordy Records
Catalog# ZL 72387
Vinyl: Goed
Hoes: Goed
Prijs: €10,00
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