Friday, October 17, 2014

Dreamboy - Contact

Earlier this week (October 15th) marked the thirtieth anniversary of Contact, the follow-up album to the 1983 self-titled debut EP (click here for that review) from Dreamboy. It would also end up being the final recording by the Michigan band at the time.


Side one opens with “Hold On Tight (Don’t Let Go)”, a mid-tempo swirl of synths and snares that could have easily taken the 1984 club scene by storm.

The title track “Contact” is next. It was also released as a seven minute long twelve-inch remix. It has a solid beat that was right at home with the dance music I listened to at the time.

The first single from the album was “I Promise (I Do Love You)”, a slow-jam ballad sung with a falsetto lead vocal. It reminds me a lot of Prince’s “Do Me Baby” musically.

The intimate mood continues with “No One Can Treat Me Like U”.

Side two starts with “Make It Work”, a funky bass-driven groove about a couple finding a way to come together. A remixed version was released as the B-side to the twelve-inch of the title track.

The B-side to the single was “In the Nite”, the nocturnal musings of a man longing to be with his love.

I like the change up with a prominent piano on the opening of “Friends”, a celebration of a supportive, platonic relationship.

“Luv Games”, with its bouncy beat, tells of the school day antics of young love.

The album closes with the ballad “So Hard to Say Goodbye”.

Again, I have to thank my online buddy Herc for introducing me to this group about a year or so ago. As with their debut, Contact easily fit into the mid-80’s R&B sounds that I enjoyed back in the day. I would have really liked to hear how they would have further developed had they gotten another album recorded. Ah well.

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