Description
Get a Grip is an album by the American singer Debbie McClendon, released on Frontline Records in 1990, distributed by The Benson Company.
Since the beginning of her recording career, record companies have tried repeatedly to build Debbie McClendon into the ‘black Sandi Patti.’ That was until Frontline got a hold of her and released ‘Get a Grip’.
Producer/husband Scott Smith, has taken McClendon’s piercing, rangy voice and refined it, draping it around material encompassing the musical genres of urban/contemporary, hip-hop, and pop, yielding positive results. The ‘new’ McClendon bares influences of Angela Bofill, Paula Abdul, Janet Jackson, and the late Minnie Ripperton. Smith’s hot, danceable rhythm tracks does wonders for McClendon, seemingly giving her added musical vitality. «Fear Not», «Give It to Him», «Get a Grip», and «Change It» all generate this ‘makes you want to get up and dance in the name of the Lord’ type feeling.
A nice change of pace is the haunting yet tranquil treatment given Larry Norman’s classic «I Wish We’d All Been Ready» as well as the beautiful «His Love» with its Stevie Wonder-ish arrangement.
Debbie McClendon has finally recorded one to be proud of. Though essentially a contemporary gospel album, ‘Get a Grip’ is one step closer to the urban dance/pop standards set by the aforementioned artists. [Tim A. Smith, CCM, December 1990]
Debbie McClendon offers us here a tasty cocktail of soul and dance straight out of the Donna Seimmia/Mary Carey stable and whilst her voice is hardly in that category she acquits herself with the necessary silk and steel to elevate her out of division 2. The one, two punch of «Fear Not» and «Give It To Him» set the album off and are ideal for those who like to practise their dance steps in the privacy of their own home. (Give me ten years and a good diet and MC Hammer watch out!) «Charge It» is by far and away the hottest number on the album and definitely deserves a single release. Of the slower numbers «Sweeter Than» has beautiful chords and lyrics and «Children Of The Light» gives Debs a chance to let rip. The only track that doesn’t work is the Larry Norman chestnut «I Wish We’d All Been Ready». It really comes in out of nowhere and should have been left off. The song is a classic, the singer is great but it’s definitely not a marriage made in heaven. All in all its a solid, punchy album that Debbie should be proud of. I think the next one with just a fraction more kick could be very interesting. [Paul Kinvig, Cross Rhythms, August 1991]
> iTunes (https://music.apple.com/us/album/get-a-grip/389035763)
CD tracklist:
01. Fear Not – 3:43
02. Give It To Him – 3:22
03. Sweeter Than – 3:54
04. Get A Grip – 3:40
05. Children Of The Light – 3:38
06. Born To Praise Him – 3:17
07. I Wish We’d All Been Ready – 3:28
08. Change It – 3:55
09. His Love – 4:11
Note: Simultaneously released on cassette and CD by Frontline Records.
[youtube_sc url=”” playlist=”ojOVgfKlc8E,y50HcChWP64,dHKA3Xyfawc,2ZsBZhw9gMg,KNV_kJdIdE0,OJejgYPpq5Q,_cgzx7tqmh0,0c_PBeDR1Kw,PJ7IUjuIisY” title=”Debbie McClendon, Get a Grip – Fear Not + Give It To Him + Sweeter Than + Get A Grip + Children Of The Light + Born To Praise Him + I Wish We’d All Been Ready + Change It + His Love” autohide=”1″ rel=”0″]
Reviews
There are no reviews yet.