Reaching for Tomorrow
| Reaching for Tomorrow | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | March 1980 | |||
| Recorded | 1979–1980 | |||
| Studio | Jennifudy Studios, North Hollywood, California; Motown/Hitsville U.S.A. Studios, Hollywood, California; Caribou Ranch, Nederland, Colorado | |||
| Genre | R&B | |||
| Label | Gordy Records | |||
| Producer | Bobby DeBarge, Gregory Williams, Tommy DeBarge, Jody Sims, Jermaine Jackson | |||
| Switch chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [1] |
Reaching for Tomorrow is the third album by R&B/funk band Switch, released in 1980 by Gordy Records.[2] The album reached No. 23 on the Billboard Top Soul Albums chart.[3]
Overview
[edit]Reaching for Tomorrow was recorded at Jennifudy Recording Studio, Motown/Hitsville U.S.A studios, Caribou Ranch studios and Kendun Recording Studios.[2][4]
During July 2019, an expanded edition of Reaching for Tomorrow was released digitally. Along with the album's reissue came a bonus track entitled "Tahiti Hut" featuring Jermaine Jackson. The song was produced by Jackson with Bobby DeBarge also singing falsetto on the track.[4][5]
Critical reception
[edit]Cashbox Magazine describes the album: "The band throws everything but the kitchen sink into this album – funky bass, rockin’ guitar, classical strings, Memphis Horns et al – and it is a must for R&B and pop programmers."[6]
Barry Lederer of Billboard writes "Switch has come full swing with a humdinger of an LP titled "Reaching For Tomorrow" which blends r &b /funk to perfection. From full arrangements, bright orchestrations and tight vocalizations, the group swings from one cut to another."[7]
Billboard features Reaching for Tomorrow on its Top Album Picks for 29 March 1980. The six -member group keeps the tempo danceable on its latest LP, sparking the tunes with sizzling rhythm, string and horn arrangements.[8]
Sal Caputo of the Courier-News writes: "Switch offers a pleasant mix of funk, pop, rock psychedelia and dance beat. It trades vocals with verve. Its arrangements change textures enough to undercut the weight of repetition."[9]
Paul Willistein Jr. of The Morning Call commended the “Super-fast rhythms, intricate guitar riffs and astonishing vocals” as setting Switch apart from most disco funk bands and said their reliance on R&B over disco is what makes Motown artists top charts. He noted the "amazing voices" on the title track and “impressive string arrangements”.[10]
Track listing
[edit]- "Power to Dance" (Bobby DeBarge, Bunny DeBarge)
- "My Friend in the Sky" (Bobby DeBarge, Bunny DeBarge)
- "Don't Take My Love Away" (Bobby DeBarge)
- "Keep Movin' On" (Gregory Williams)
- "A Brighter Tomorrow" (Eddie Fluellen, Hazel Jackson, Jermaine Jackson)
- "Reaching for Tomorrow" (Jermaine Jackson, Paul M. Jackson, Jr., Roxanne Seeman)
- "I Finally Found Somebody New" (Tommy DeBarge)
- "Honey, I Love You" (Jody Sims)
- "Get Back to You" (Gregory Williams, Jody Sims)
- "Tahiti Hut" (Maurice White, Eumir Deodato, Roxanne Seeman) (feat. Jermaine Jackson) (bonus track on expanded edition) 5:18
Charts
[edit]| Chart (1980) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| US Top LPs & Tape[11] | 57 |
| US Top Soul LPs[3] | 23 |
References
[edit]- ^ "Switch: Reaching for Tomorrow". allmusic.com. Allmusic.
- ^ a b Switch: Reaching for Tomorrow. Gordy Records. 1980.
- ^ a b "Switch: Reaching for Tomorrow (Top Soul Albums)". billboard.com. Billboard.
- ^ a b Switch: Reaching for Tomorrow (Expanded ed.). Universal Music Group/Motown Records. July 2019.
- ^ Bessman, Jim (March 16, 2002). Turning Foreign Verse Into English Prose. Vol. 114. Billboard. p. 71.
- ^ "Album Reviews" (PDF). Cashbox Magazine. 29 March 1980. p. 21.
- ^ Lederer, Barry (19 April 1980). "Disco Mix" (PDF). Billboard Magazine. p. 71.
- ^ "Top Album Picks" (PDF). Billboard Magazine. p. 122.
- ^ Caputo, Sal (7 Jun 1980). "Quick Tracks". The Courier-News. p. 22.
- ^ Willistein Jr., Paul. "The Morning Call".
- ^ "Switch: Reaching for Tomorrow (Billboard 200)". billboard.com. Billboard.
