High-Rise (album)

For the Stone Temple Pilots EP, see High Rise (EP).
High-Rise
Studio album by
Ashford & Simpson
ReleasedAugust 1983
Recorded1983
Studio
Genre
LabelCapitol
ProducerNickolas Ashford, Valerie Simpson
Ashford & Simpson chronology
Street Opera
(1982) 		High-Rise
(1983) 		Solid
(1984)
Singles from High-Rise
  1. "High-Rise"
    Released: 1983
  2. "It's Much Deeper"
    Released: 1983
  3. "I'm Not That Tough"
    Released: 1984
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[1]
The Encyclopedia of Popular Music[2]

High-Rise is a studio album by American vocal duo Ashford & Simpson, released in 1983 on Capitol Records.[3] It was their second album for Capitol.[2]

Critical reception

The Virginia Pilot called High-Rise "a fine transitional record for the duo, where A&S added more dazzle and lights to their urbane sound without compromising its soulful essence."[4]

Chart performance

The album peaked at No. 14 on the Billboard R&B albums chart and No. 84 on the Billboard top albums chart. Three singles were released. The album's title track peaked at No. 17 on the Hot Black Singles chart, "It's Much Deeper" and "I'm Not That Tough" charted 45 and 78 respectively on the Hot Black Singles chart.

Track listing

All writing by Nickolas Ashford and Valerie Simpson.

  1. "High-Rise" - 5:35
  2. "Side Effect" - 4:07
  3. "Experience (Love Had No Face)" - 4:38
  4. "It's a Rush" - 5:06
  5. "My Kinda Pick Me Up" - 3:09
  6. "I'm Not That Tough" - 4:34
  7. "It's Much Deeper" - 6:30
  8. "Still Such a Thing" - 5:13
2011 remastered reissue bonus tracks
No.TitleLength
9."High-Rise" (single version)4:01
10."It's Much Deeper" (single version)3:50
11."I'm Not That Tough" (single version)4:03
12."High-Rise" (12" version)6:06
13."High-Rise" (12" M+M instrumental mix) mixed by John Morales & Sergio Munzibai)5:27

Personnel

  • Nickolas Ashford – lead vocals, backing vocals, rhythm and vocal arrangements
  • Valerie Simpson – lead vocals, backing vocals, acoustic piano, rhythm and vocal arrangements
  • Ray Chew – Yamaha electric piano (1–5, 7, 8), vibraphone solo (1), Oberheim OB-X (4), Fender Rhodes (6), horns (6), strings (6); horn, rhythm and string arrangements
  • Peter Cannarozzi – synthesizers (1, 6, 7), synth bass line (4)
  • Ed Walsh – synthesizers (1, 4)
  • Sid McGinnis – guitars (1, 2, 4, 5, 8), side effects (2), guitar solo (7)
  • Francisco Centeno – bass
  • Yogi Horton – drums (1, 2, 4, 6, 8)
  • Steve Gadd – drums (3, 5, 7)
  • Errol "Crusher" Bennett – percussion (1, 4)
  • Ralph MacDonald – percussion (2, 3, 5–8)
  • George Young – horns (2, 5), horn solo (5)
  • Leon Pendarvis – horns (3), strings (3), horn and string arrangements
  • Paul Riser – horns (8), strings (8), horn and string arrangements
  • Sephra Herman – horns
  • Alfred Brown – strings
  • Vivian Cherry – backing vocals (1, 4, 7)
  • Ullanda McCullough – backing vocals (2, 5, 6, 8)

Charts

Chart (1983) Peak
position
US Billboard 200[5] 84
US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard)[6] 14

References

  1. ^ Wynn, Ron. High-Rise review at AllMusic. Retrieved 2020-08-29.
  2. ^ a b Larkin, Colin (2006). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music. Vol. 1. MUZE. p. 271.
  3. ^ Holden, Stephen (September 9, 1983). "POP/JAZZ; EXPLORING THE POP-SOUL OF ASHFORD AND SIMPSON (Published 1983)". The New York Times – via NYTimes.com.
  4. ^ Ollison, Rashod (3 August 2011). "CRATE-DIG DUSTY: "High-Rise," Ashford & Simpson". pilotonline.com.
  5. ^ "Ashford & Simpson Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved 29 August 2020.
  6. ^ "Ashford & Simpson Chart History (Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved 29 August 2020.