🎵 AotW Michael Sembello - WITHOUT WALLS (SP-5044)

[LPJim]

Michael Sembello
WITHOUT WALLS
A&M SP-5044

A1 What You Really WantBass Guitar – Richard RudolphRecorded By, Engineer, Mixed By – Brian MaloufWritten-By – David Batteau, Michael Sembello 4:23
A2 Last To KnowWritten-By – Danny Sembello, Michael Sembello, Richard Rudolph 4:00
A3 Funkabilly SwingWritten-By – Bobby Caldwell, Michael Sembello, Richard Rudolph 4:29
A4 Is This The Way To ParadiseWritten-By – Bobby Caldwell, Michael Sembello 4:10
A5 Burn It UpWritten-By – Bobby Caldwell, Danny Sembello, Michael Sembello 4:30
B1 Tear Down The WallsChoir [Tear Down The Walls Choir] – Alice Martini, Bob DiMarco*, Bruce Gaish*, Bud Rizzo, Cruz Sembello, Danny Sembello, Jena Raye Mendez, Kim DiMarco, Kimiko Kasai, Marilyn Scott, Mark Hudson, Michael Sembello, Randy WaldmanRecorded By, Engineer, Mixed By – Brian MaloufWritten-By – Bobby Caldwell, David Batteau, Michael Sembello 3:39
B2 Gravity (Special Dance Mix)Mixed By – Bill BottrellWritten-By – C. Sembello* 6:15
B3 Wonder Where You AreVocals – Tata VegaWritten-By – Danny Sembello, Michael Sembello 3:42
B4 DangerousWritten-By – Danny Sembello, Michael Sembello, Richard Rudolph 3:51

• Phonographic Copyright (p) – A&M Records, Inc.
• Copyright (c) – A&M Records, Inc.
• Recorded At – Bossa Nova Hotel
• Mixed At – Lion Share Recording Studios
• Mastered At – Bernie Grundman Mastering

• Arranged By [String Arrangements], Strings [Wall Of Doug] – Doug Cameron
• Art Direction – Chuck Beeson
• Backing Vocals [Background Vocals] – Bobby Caldwell, Cruz Sembello, Stevie Wonder
• Coordinator [Project Coordinator] – Ivy Skoff
• Design [Album] – Melanie Nissen
• Drums – Carlos Vega, Vinnie Colaiuta
• Engineer – Dan Marnien, Jim Gallagher, Michael Bowman, Michael Sembello, Nick Spigel, Randy Waldman, Richard Rudolph
• Engineer [Assistant Engineer] – Bud Rizzo, Khaliq Glover
• Guitar – Bud Rizzo, Michael Sembello
• Guitar [Guitar Scientist] – Steve Rippley
• Harmonica – Stevie Wonder
• Horns – Herb Alpert
• Horns [Horn Section] – William Reichenbach*, Chuck Findley, David Boruff, Gary Grant, Larry Williams, Lew McCreary
• Keyboards – Casey Young, Danny Sembello, Michael Sembello, Randy Waldman
• Mastered By – Bernie Grundman
• Mixed By – Tommy "Yosh" Vicari* (tracks: A2 to A5, B3, B4)
• Other [Metal Metaphysician] – Bud Rizzo
• Percussion – Ron Powell
• Performer [Sinatra] – Bobby Caldwell
• Performer [Wall Of Mariachis] – Bud Rizzo, Ryan McGonigal, Stan Smengi
• Photography By – Bret Lopez
• Producer – Michael Sembello, Richard Rudolph
• Programmed By – Michael Sembello
• Programmed By [Additional Synthesizer Programmer] – David 'The Rev' Boruff*, Dennis Matkosky
• Programmed By [Main-synth Jungle Genius Alchemist Programmer] – Casey Young
• Saxophone [Sax] – David 'The Rev' Boruff*
• Strings [String Section] – Clayton Haslop, Douglas Cameron*, Paula Hochhalter, Sid Page
• Synthesizer – Bobby Caldwell, Steve Porcaro
• Synthesizer [Additional Synthesizers] – Danny Sembello
• Synthesizer [Bass Synthesizer] – Danny Sembello
• Trumpet, Flugelhorn, Arranged By [Horn Arrangements] – Randy Waldman
• Vocals – Michael Sembello

Recorded at Bossa Nova Hotel.
Additional recording at Zebra Sound, Studio 55, Can-Am, Galaxy and Village Recorders.
Tracks A2, A3, A4, A5, B3, B4: Mixed at Lion Share.
Mastered at Bernie Grundman Mastering Studios.
© 1986 A&M Records, Inc.
℗ 1986 A&M Records, Inc.

Creative Thanks To: Peter Savic, Joanne Gair, Patty Callicott and Rebecca Blumberg.

Also released on CD as a Japan import by A&M in 1986 as 'D32Y3035' with two bonus tracks: "The Picture" and "Angelina."






JB

 

[Dave]

Hmmmm...hard to believe this guy is still recording... After the craze of "Maniac" Sembello still tried to ride on its success... His timing was right in creating the same catchy dance floor-aura, and the slow numbers being a newer-type of Boz Scaggs...

Just too bad that nothing newer had matched its predecessor's success...


-- Dave

 

[Mike Blakesley]

I remember really liking the songs "Maniac" and "Automatic Man" and "Gravity" and but his albums never really did much for me. His album Bossa Nova Hotel that was the best, if I remember right. I'm not sure if this one came before that one or not.

He sounds somewhat like a Christopher Cross without the orchestrations but with dance beats. He also was a decent songwriter and guitarist, having played on several Stevie Wonder and Sergio Mendes albums, among others.

 

[Captain Bacardi]

Here's "I Wonder Where You Are" featuring Herb Alpert:

 

[toeknee4bz]

With the exception of "Gravity" and "Dangerous", this album is a pretty decent effort from Michael Sembello. Granted, it's a LOUD album, typical of the mid-late 1980s. But there's a lot of great instrumentation throughout, if you're fond of the sounds of the era. I'm particularly fond of the guitar solos on the opening track, "What You Really Want". And yes, I freely admit it: I bought it originally out of curiosity to what Herb Alpert's contribution would be. "Wonder Where You Are" is pretty good at first, but it gets kinda carried away toward the end. Still a worthwhile listen, even if only a mood record.