Description
The self-titled, sole album by the American pop-rock band What If was released on RCA Victor in 1987. The album was recorded and mixed on the Mitsubishi Digital System at Conway Recording Studios in Hollywood, California; with Mick Guzauski (Daft Punk’s recent Grammy winning engineer) and the band producing. (It actually was the label’s first all digitally recorded album.)
The album is considered the follow-up effort to 1984’s self-titled, sole release by the Refuge Records signed band project The Front. Drummer Bob Wilson of the progressive jazz rock group Seawind was the mastermind behind The Front, together with Tommy Funderburk, well known session singer and former Airplay vocalist. Wilson and Funderburk joined forces with keyboardist/saxophonist Larry Williams, also of Seawind fame, as well as Dann Huff, session guitarist and former White Heart member. (Though since Huff was not available during the recording of the What If album, Michael Landau was hired to play guitar on most of the tracks, except the last track “Turn And Walk Away” featuring Huff.) Bass on tracks A1 and A2 provided by Larry Klein.
Bob Wilson, Larry Williams, and Tommy Funderburk, who showed up in ’85 on the Christian market as The Front, take on the mainstream pop world with ‘What If’, and the possibilities would seem limitless. Funderburk, who’s turned down opportunities to be the voice of Toto and Chicago, has got an incredible set of pipes, while the integrity of Wilson and Williams was established in the seminal jazz/funk group Seawind.
«She Rocked My World» catches the trio, with Michael Landau on guitar, at its best. William’s crunchy keyboards set a hot groove, while Wilson’s punchy snare threatens to fill dance floors across America, only to add to the hook of Funderburk’s high vocalese on the refrain, with Landau either harmonizing with the melody or adding to the irresistible rhythms. When Williams jumps in midway with a smokin’ sax solo, that’s all she wrote – it’s a monster hit. Well, at least it should be.
Unfortunately, What If does not pull it all together as well on the remainder of this eponymously titled debut. Relentlessly assaulting the mainstream “hit formula” as hard as possible leaves ‘What If’ sounding calculated and programmed for success, yet somehow evading the connections that plugged in Mr. Mister last year.
Landau’s guitars are often under-utilized, and the spark isn’t always in the rhythm section. Funderburk’s technique is always splendid, but the simple fact that Tonio K.’s «Perfect Word» is rendered rather lifelessly should speak volumes. There’s bound to be a future for a band with this much talent that I wonder, what if… [Brian Quincy Newcomb, CCM, October 1987]
> Apple Music (https://music.apple.com/us/album/what-if/1278191759)
LP tracklist:
Side One
A1. “What If” – 4:48
A2. “If This Is Love” – 4:04
A3. “Perfect World” – 4:36
A4. “One Look” – 3:36
A5. “Ride The Hurricane” – 3:49
Side Two
B1. “She Rocked My World” – 4:08
B2. “Love Is A Fire” – 5:19
B3. “When Right Is Wrong” – 4:12
B4. “Turn And Walk Away” – 4:45
Note: Simultaneously released on cassette, 12-inch vinyl LP, and CD by RCA.
What If – Bob Wilson, Larry Williams, Tommy Funderburk, and Michael Thompson – signing with RCA.
CREDITS. Produced by Mick Guzauski.
Musicians: Tommy Funderburk (Vocals), Larry Williams (Keyboards, Saxophone), Bob Wilson (Drums), Michael Landau (Guitar), Dan Huff (Guitar on track B4), Jakko M. Jakszyk (Guitar on track B4), Larry Klein (Bass on tracks A1 and A2), Paulinho Da Costa (Percussion), Casey Young (Synclavier, Additional Synthesizer Programming), Eric Persing (Synth Bass Programming Track A3, Synthesizer Percussion Track B3).
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