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Anita
Baker
Compositions
By Carla Robinson
On Compositions, Anita Baker really flexes her creative muscle, utilizing live
instruments all the way through - no drum machines here - plunging deeper into a jazz
sound and writing or co-writing seven of the album’s ten songs. The result is a
meditative, innovative and emotional record that will never go out of style. This 1990
release is aptly titled because it’s an album about music and the craftsmanship of
songs. Not as well received as one might think, Compositions is friendlier toward the
smooth jazz format than it is toward R&B radio, which may be one reason why (check:
“Fairy Tales” is nearly eight minutes long). Although it was an unquestionably
mature effort, Rapture garnered Anita many young fans. It’s safe to say Compositions
did the quite the opposite.
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True grown folk’s music, the record flirts with jazz
more expansively, from the swinging melody of “Lonely” to the teasing piano
tinkle of “Love You to the Letter” (which features Anita’s most lulling,
pretty singing). It could be that Compositions was before its time. It’s the kind of
record that Anita could produce today, sufficient years since Rapture having passed and
people might be more receptive. How could the moody, declarative "Whatever It
Takes" or "Talk to Me" with its soul-packed vocal arrangement not move us ?
And ladies, do we not know the joyful gratitude expressed in “Soul Inspiration”
or the heartbreak of “Fairy Tales”? Sure we do. To me, this record sounds better
than ever. Maybe I’ve grown up over the years.
M
February 2001
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