Review: “Winner In You” by Patti LaBelle (Vinyl, 1986)

Today’s Pop Rescue from a fate uncertain is 1986’s Winner In You – the eighth studio album by American R&B singer-songwriter Patti LaBelle. Will this album take the gold, or will you want it to leave you On your Own to recover? Read on…

Patti LaBelle - Winner In You (1986) album. — Patti LaBelle – Winner In You (1986) album.

This 10 track LP opens gently with a soft percussive intro as we lead into Oh, People. Patti soon meets us with her smooth rich vocals in this positive and world-uniting song. It allows Patti to show off some of her vocal range, flanked by backing vocalists The Sweeties. It’s a nice mellow start to the album, and served as the album’s second single – reaching #26 in the UK singles chart.

Then it’s single On My Own, a duet with Michael McDonald. The track feels effortless as it gently meanders from verse to chorus and back again. The contrast between Patti and Michael’s vocals is fantastic, and they make a great pairing. This really is a slow number, but beams 80’s pop love song musically and in its structure, and it really climbs in the final part allowing both Patti and Michael’s vocals to shine perfectly. The track was written, produced, and arranged by legendary songwriters Burt Bacharach and Carole Bayer Sager. Burt is also tucked away on the acoustic piano, with percussion expert Paulinho Da Costa. Rightly, this lovely track reached #2 in the UK, and gave Patti her first brush with the UK singles chart.

Next up is Something Special (Is Gonna Happen Tonight), and this lifts the tempo and treats us to a harder, sharper, and perhaps more rock vocal style from Patti, as a plethora of synths and drum fills play underneath. At times it reminds me a little of something you might expect from Pointer Sisters, or Aretha Franklin but Patti’s vocal ensures it’s hers. It’s a grower, with the chorus standing as a perfect anchor. The track was the fourth and final single, but it did not chart in the UK.

We’re into ballad territory for Kiss Away The Pain, which gently plods along with some wonderful vocals from Patti and her backing vocalists, including some tender spoken moments as a saxophone plays a sombre set of notes in the background.

Side One closes with Twisted, which really goes for it in the intro – the tempo is up and so is the mood. Here, this upbeat pop song, loaded with synths gives Patti some big, fun and lively vocals alongside The Sweeties. It’s definitely a fun foot-tapper. This really should have been a single, and it may have performed well in the UK’s 1986 chart.

Side Two opens with the synths and guitars of You’re Mine Tonight, even if it does sound like my early Yamaha keyboard demo button song, Patti is soon on the mic with some roaring vocals. At times she manages to give some rockier riffs to her vocals that might have made Tina Turner look twice. She steps away for a few moments as an electric guitar takes a solo in between the synths. The end result is a pretty catchy pop-rock song, that once again should have been released as a single.

Finally We’re Back Together is next, and is perhaps as you might expect, a total smooch-along slow dance. Saxophone sets the mood, with some warm backing vocals all before Patti arrives, like a late night singer. This slower track gives her plenty of time and space to show off her vocal power and range, which she wields in a Whitney-esque way.

Then it’s Beat My Heart Like A Drum, which thankfully takes the drum in the title and ensures it bangs. This is a great upbeat pop song – loaded with beats, vocals, and synths. There’s tons of energy in this track and this once allows Patti the opportunity to show off her vocal dexterity with some soaring harder vocals. It’s a catchy track.

Following that is Sleep With Me Tonight (steady on Patti, we’ve only known each other for 8 tracks so far!). This brings us back to a heartfelt slow ballad, and one that is pretty textbook American ballad that could have been recorded by any 80’s/90’s female singer resulting in the same sound. Thankfully though, Patti does get a few chance to throw some big notes towards the end, and she does a great job with this loved-up plodder.

The album closes with a mysterious intro to There’s A Winner In You from the play ‘Pipes’. The track is written by duo Ashford & Simpson, who also take arranger and producer credits on this track. Patti was nominated for a Grammy for this performance, and to be honest, it does have a different sound to it, and really allows her to put in a fantastic vocal performance with soaring strings around her. A climactic ending to this album.

Patti LaBelle’s lead single ‘On My Own’ (1986) with Michael McDonald.

Verdict

Over all, this album is a great mixture of loved-up ballads and bursting 80’s pop songs that must have sounded so fresh in 1986 with all the big vocals, synths, and beats.

Of course, there’s some textbook ballad schmaltz in here too – in the form of Sleep With Me Tonight and Kiss Away The Pain, but the grandiose of closing track There’s A Winner In You really wipes away any fears of a paint-by-numbers approach.

Highlights here are led of course by, the brilliant duet On My Own with Michael McDonald, Twisted, and that closing track, with many others giving a catchy slice of 80’s pop.

Not quite taking gold, but a clear silver win for Patti.