Love's the Place to Be

Love's the Place to Be is the fourth studio album by the American soul musician Will Downing, released by Mercury Records in 1993 in the United States.[1][2] His first album for the label,[3][4] it peaked at number 166 on the US Billboard 200.[5] "There's No Living Without You" peaked at number 67 on the UK Singles Chart.[6]

Love's the Place to Be
Studio album by
Will Downing
Released1993
Length56:34
LabelMercury
Producer
Will Downing chronology
A Dream Fulfilled
(1991)		 Love's the Place to Be
(1993)		 Moods
(1995)

Production

Among the album's many producers were Barry Eastmond and Ronnie Foster.[3] Stevie Wonder contributed harmonica to "That's All".[3] Rachelle Ferrell duets with Downing on "Nothing Has Ever Felt Like This".[7]

Critical reception
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[8]
The Charlotte Observer[9]
Daily Breeze[10]
The Encyclopedia of Popular Music[1]
MusicHound R&B: The Essential Album Guide[11]
Music Week[12]

AllMusic editor Jason Birchmeier rated the album three out of five stars and wrote that "these songs were all some of Downing's best work ... showcasing his vocal prowess."[8] The Atlanta Journal-Constitution called the album "the kind of romantic, elegant material that fans of the highly touted Luther Vandross wish he would return to."[13] The Charlotte Observer deemed it "a masterpiece," writing that "the three-song suite 'Do You Still Love Me'/'Hey Girl'/'Break Up to Make Up' is one of the best things to hit CD in a long time."[9] The Dallas Morning News thought that "Downing has matured into a stunning stylist, caressing such classics as Nat 'King' Cole's 'That's All' [and] the Stylistics' 'Break Up to Make Up' ... with a reverence that still leaves room for redefining."[14] The Daily Breeze wrote that "most of the 11 tracks spin at the same speed and intensity, thus there is no chance for the highs and lows."[10]

Track listing
Love's the Place to Be track listing
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."There's No Living Without You"
  • Greg Smith
  • Darren Morris
  • Rex Rideout
  • Will Downing
4:15
2."Sailing on a Dream"
  • Bob Baldwin
  • James Robinson
  • Downing
  • Baldwin
  • Downing
6:09
3."One Moment"
  • Ronnie Garrett
  • Vastine Pettis
  • Rideout
Barry Eastmond4:43
4."Nothing Has Ever Felt Like This" (featuring Rachelle Ferrell)FerrellEastmond6:21
5."Love's the Place to Be"Ronnie FosterFoster5:00
6."Lovers Paradise"
Foster4:42
7."Everything to Me"
  • Rideout
  • Downing
  • Rideout
  • Downing
4:20
8."Do You Still Love Me"
  • Eastmond
  • Downing
Eastmond4:55
9."Hey Girl"
  • Baldwin
  • Downing
5:25
10."Break Up to Make Up"
  • Baldwin
  • Downing
5:07
11."That's All"
Foster5:37
Total length:56:34

Selected personnel

Charts
Chart performance for Love's the Place to Be
Chart (1993) Peak
position
US Billboard 200[15] 166
US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard)[16] 24

References
  1. Larkin, Colin (2006). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music. Vol. 3. MUZE. pp. 104–105.
  2. Hudson, Alexia (8 Oct 1993). "Music Reviews: Love's The Place To Be - Will Downing". The Philadelphia Inquirer. p. 7E.
  3. Smith, Danyel (Aug 14, 1993). "Downing Plays to Listener Loyalty". Billboard. 105 (33): 18.
  4. McNally, Owen (28 Oct 1993). "HOT AUTUMN NIGHT". Hartford Courant. Calendar. p. 6.
  5. "Will Downing". Billboard.
  6. "WILL DOWNING | full Official Chart History | Official Charts Company". www.officialcharts.com.
  7. "FIVE TOURING PERFORMERS JOINING FORCES FOR JAZZ EXPLOSION". Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. November 13, 1994. p. 1E.
  8. "Love's the Place to Be - Will Downing | Songs, Reviews, Credits | AllMusic" – via www.allmusic.com.
  9. "R&B". The Charlotte Observer. February 11, 1994. p. 5F.
  10. Tranfa, Anthony D. (November 19, 1993). "WILL DOWNING, 'Love's the Place To Be'". Daily Breeze. p. K15.
  11. MusicHound R&B: The Essential Album Guide. Visible Ink Press. 1998. p. 183.
  12. Jones, Alan (August 7, 1993). "Market Preview: Mainstream - Albums" (PDF). Music Week. p. 13. Retrieved January 30, 2023.
  13. Murray, Sonia (April 15, 1994). "PREVIEW - Will Downing". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. p. P3.
  14. "Will Downing". The Dallas Morning News. November 11, 1993. p. 5C.
  15. "Will Downing Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved August 11, 2022.
  16. "Will Downing Chart History (Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved August 11, 2022.
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