Al Jarreau - High Crime (1984) LP

Fueled by the hard-pushing hit from Jarreau's previous album "Boogie Down," aproducer Jay Graydon cranks up the energy level some more and comes up with a snazzy high-tech vehicle for his converted R&B singer. The sound is hotter, stoked by greater reliance upon synthesizers and electronically goosed rhythm tracks, and Jarreau's own vocals are more hectic, though again not much in the way of individuality is required of him. But the material this time isn't as strong – though "Murphy's Law" is pretty catchy with its flugelhorn punctuations – and so the reluctance to exploit the unique vocal talents of Jarreau is more glaring. The minor hit single of the album, oddly, is the mundane ballad "After All," an ominous harbinger of bathos to come from Jarreau down the road.


Tracks:

A1 Raging Waters
A2 Imagination
A3 Murphy's Law
A4 Tell Me
A5 After All

B1 High Crime
B2 Let's Pretend
B3 Sticky Wicket
B4 Love Speaks Louder Than Words
B5 Fallin'