Midnight Magic

by Commodores

Overview

When the Commodores' seventh studio album, Midnight Magic, came out in 1979, one could safely assume that the LP would contain at least one adult contemporary ballad. And sure enough, Midnight Magic contains the ballad "Still," which was a number one pop hit (as well as a number one R&B hit) and became a staple on adult contemporary radio. The sappy ballad (which features Lionel Richie) wasn't without its detractors, who felt that the Commodores had become too much of a slick crossover act. But even if "Still" doesn't excite you, the rest of the album isn't bad. "Wonderland" (a number 21 R&B hit) is an enjoyable R&B slow jam, and fans of sophisticated funk (as opposed to hardcore funk) should appreciate "You're Special," "Gettin' It," and the disco-minded title song. "Sexy Lady" is the only thing on the LP that can honestly be described as hardcore funk; most of the up-tempo tunes favor the type of sophisticated funk that the Brothers Johnson, Rufus/Chaka Khan, and Heatwave were known for in the late '70s. Next to "Still," the album's best-known track is "Sail On," which reached number eight on Billboard's R&B singles chart (and number four on its pop single chart) despite the fact that it is essentially a pop-country song. Some R&B purists saw "Sail On" as a blatant example of how watered down the Commodores had become, but it's still a charming and likable tune -- one that wouldn't have been out of place on a Dolly Parton or Glen Campbell LP. Midnight Magic isn't one of the Commodores' essential releases, and R&B purists are advised to stick to the band's pre-1977 albums. Nonetheless, this is a generally decent, if uneven, record that has more strengths than weaknesses. ~ Alex Henderson

Product Details

Release Date:	03/29/2019
Label:	Universal
UPC:	4988031322130
Rank:	40735

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Commodores   Primary Artist
Lionel Richie   Piano,Vocals,Keyboards,Saxophone,Lead Vocals
Ronald LaPread   Bass
Milan Williams   Guitar (Electric),Keyboards
Thomas McClary   Vocals,Guitar (Electric)
Walter Orange   Drums,Vocals
William King   Trumpet

Technical Credits

Commodores   Producer,Arranger
James Carmichael   Producer
Ellen Cross   Composer
Dorian Burton   Composer
Lionel Richie   Composer
Thomas McClary   Composer
Muddy Waters   Composer
Harold Hudson   Composer,Musician,Horn Arrangements,String Arrangements
D. Cochrane   Composer
Walter Orange   Composer
Howard Plummer Jr.   Composer
William King   Composer
Darrell Jones   Musician
David Cochrane   Composer,Musician
Jane Clark   Mixing,Engineer
Calvin Harris   Mixing,Engineer
Ronald C. Pread   Composer
Winston Sims   Musician
Ronald LaPread   Composer
Rick James   Composer
Mean Machine   Musical Backing
James Anthony Carmichael   Arranger,Producer,Horn Arrangements,String Arrangements
Milan Williams   Composer
Bernie Grundman   Mastering
T-Bone Walker   Composer
Bill Anderson   Composer