Superpower

Description

Superpower is the seventh studio album by the American pop duo Farrell & Farrell (husband and wife Bob and Jayne Farrell), released on DaySpring Records in 1989, a division of Word. The album was recorded and mixed by Bill Deaton with Tom Hemby and Mike Demus producing for Vertical Productions.

It’s been a while since we’ve heard from Farrell & Farrell. Their absence from the “new relase” bins in music stores has lasted for over two years, perhaps causing some of us to wonder when we’d be reading about the duo in CCM’s “Whatever Happened To…” column. Well, never fear, Farrell & Farrell fans, the tuneful twosome proudly presents their latest collaboration, ‘Superpower’.

The album is their first for the Dayspring label, and teams the duo with ace producers Hemby and Demus, giving them their biggest sound to date. A cogent combination of both the acoustic orientation that characterized their early releases and the European-influenced techno-pop that has marked more recent efforts by the group, ‘Superpower’ is sure to appeal to music lovers of many tastes. The vocal arrangements maximize both singers’ unique voices and utilize the distincte vocal textures that earmark the Farrell & Farrell style.

The Farrells have always been noted for having the knack for writing catchy tunes, and ‘Superpower’ does nothing to damage that reputation. It is ironic that such a strong ability could possible also be the one weak point of the album. The very tunes that are most listener-friendly upon first hearing begin to be almost tiresome on repeated listening. «We Are Gonna Follow You» is the best example of this. Happily, this is not the case on every song; clearly, some are well-thought-out («Eternity in Their Hearts», «Heart of the Homeless», and title cut come to mind) and bear up well under the scruntiny of repeated hearings.

Was ‘Superpower’ worth the wait? If you’re a die-hard Farrell & Farrell fan, the answer is an unqualified yes. If you’re not, the album still has much to offer. Let’s hope we don’t have to wait two years for the next one. [Jon Woodhams, CCM, June 1989]

> Apple Music (https://music.apple.com/us/album/superpower/1165945749)

LP tracklist:

Side One
A1. “Superpower” – 5:01
A2. “It’s Gonna Take Love” – 3:32
A3. “Eyes On You” – 3:52
A4. “Heart Of The Homeless” – 3:53
A5. “Follow You” – 4:44

Side Two
B1. “Graphic” – 3:56
B2. “Takin’ It Home” – 5:16
B3. “Eternity In Their Hearts” – 3:22
B4. “Find The Way To Love” – 4:13
B5. “Every Day Of Your Life” – 3:26
B6. “Crowns” – 3:27

Note: Simultaneously released on cassette, 12-inch vinyl LP, and CD by DaySpring Records.

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CREDITS. Produced by Tom Hemby and Mike Demus for Vertical Productions. Engineered and Mixed by Bill Deaton. Front Cover Concept by Bob and Jayne Farrell, James Chesser, and Terri Short. Photography and execution for front concept by Ron Williams, Design and Illustrations by Dennas Davis, Art Direction by Terru Short, Sand courtesy of The Rycheners. Executive Producer: Bob Farrell.

Musicians: Lead Vocals by Bob and Jayne Farrell. Tom Hemby and Mike Demis (Keyboards, Guitars and Drum Sequencing), Chris McCue and Keith Edwards (Additional Drums), Mark Douthit (Saxophone Solos), Buddy Greene (Harmonica). Background Vocals: Donna McElroy, Kim Fleming, Vicki Hampton, Chris Harris, Chris Rodriguez, Greg Guidry, Dave Robbins, Van Stephenson, Kip Raines, Bob and Jayne Farrell.