What Kind of Love

Description

What Kind of Love is the eighth studio album by the American singer and songwriter Margaret Becker, released on Sparrow Records in November 1999, distributed by Chordant Distribution Group. The album was recorded by Julian Kindred and Tedd T. with the latter also producing.

For 12 years, Margaret Becker has consistently reinvented herself: female rocker (The Reckoning), pop songstress (Soul), trio member (Along the Road‘s Ashton, Becker, Denté) and Spanish interpreter (Fiel A Ti). Now on here 10th solo project, ‘What Kind of Love’, Becker mixes the pop sensibilities of ‘Soul’ with the musically stripped-down, bare-your-soul intensity of 1998’s ‘Falling Forward‘.

Make no mistake: A great record begins with great songwriting. On this project, Becker reaches outside of herself to a circle of writers who assist her throughout this project’s 10 tracks. «Friend for Life», written with Chris Eaton, reminds the listener that it takes more than a bully pulpit to show people the face of God, that our daily actions influence the seeker to pursue God. Eaton’s writing prowess also shows up in the title song, featuring a slow, infectious groove and a subtly stark piano bridge.

Previous ‘Falling Forward’ collaborator Robbie Nevil co-pens four standout tunes, including «Feel it All», taking the previous record’s «Irish Sea» theme and continuing to expound on the notion of experiencing God through His creation, and the Seal-influenced «Worlds Apart», a longing for Christ to come back song. «Worlds Apart» also showcases one of the primary strengths of this project: Becker’s outstanding penchant to richly express vocal stylings of confidence in one moment and at the next reveal fragile nuances of timbre that allow the listener to hear the stuggle with the pitfalls of life.

On a musical level, this project takes a different turn than ‘Falling Forward’. Whereas the previous project spilled a loose, acoustic-angst coffeehouse feel, producer Tedd T. and crew opt for a more polished, tight nightclub scenario, replacing guitar-based foundations with the sometimes jazzy, sometimes R&B and always on target work of its players. Brent Milligan’s bass, Peter Furler’s percussion and studio guitar vets Dave Perkins and Lynn Nichols ably fill in the blanks. T.’s production never overwhelms. Rather, it underscores the strengths of Becker’s vocals, allowing her to wail when she need to – as on the urban groove of the Staple Singer’s «Hope in a Hopless World» – and pull back when she must – as on the mournful yet worshipful «Poor in Paradise».

Ultimately, ‘What Kind of Love’ is a vulnerable and mature work that’s not afraid to tackle the “why God” of life, and at the same time rest in ultimate divine providence. It’s a work worth listening to over and over again. [Mike Fernandez, CCM, January 2000]

> Apple Music (https://music.apple.com/us/album/what-kind-of-love/723404351)

CD tracklist:

01. Friend For Life – 4:56
02. Worlds Apart – 4:03
03. What Kind Of Love – 4:26
04. I Won’t Be Persuaded – 5:43
05. Love By Your Side – 5:15
06. Feel It All – 4:32
07. Hope In A Hopeless World – 4:56
08. One More Reason – 4:54
09. All That’s Left – 3:55
10. Poor In Paradise – 5:36

Note: Simultaneously released on cassette and CD by Sparrow Records.