Masterpiece (Isley Brothers album)

Masterpiece is the 23rd album released by The Isley Brothers on Warner Bros. Records on April 29, 1985. For the first time since 1973, the Isley Brothers were a trio composed of the original members O'Kelly, Rudolph and Ronald Isley. It was the last album with O'Kelly Isley; he died a year after the album's release from a heart attack. The fall of 1985 also saw the elder Isleys release Masterpiece.[2] The album is dedicated to their late brother Vernon Isley and their parents Sally & O'Kelly Isley Sr. The album liner notes were written by Elaine Isley.

Masterpiece
Studio album by
ReleasedApril 29, 1985
Recorded1984-1985
VenueDevonshire Sound Studios
(North Hollywood, Los Angeles)
GenreRhythm and blues/soul
Length47:49
LabelWarner Bros.
ProducerThe Isley Brothers
The Isley Brothers chronology
Greatest Hits, Vol. 1
(1984)
Masterpiece
(1985)
Smooth Sailin'
(1987)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic [1]

Track listing

Side one
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."May I?"Ronald Isley, Rudolph Isley, O'Kelly Isley, Elaine Jasper Isley5:07
2."My Best Was Good Enough"Skip Scarborough4:20
3."If Leaving Me Is Easy"Phil Collins6:30
4."You Never Know When You're Gonna Fall in Love"Rex Salas, Monty Seward4:19
5."Stay Gold"Stevie Wonder, Carmine Coppola4:11
Side two
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
6."Colder Are My Nights"David Williams, Pat Leonard6:00
7."Come to Me"Robert Brookins, Tony Haynes4:53
8."Release Your Love"David Ritz, Kelly McNulty5:32
9."The Most Beautiful Girl"Billy Sherrill, Rory Bourke, Norris Wilson6:57

Personnel

The Isley Brothers
with
Technical personnel & arrangements
  • Produced by The Isley Brothers (Ronald, Rudolph and O'Kelly Isley)
  • Arranger, conductor: Gene Page
  • Concertmaster: Harry Bluestone
  • Engineer: Michael Mancini
  • Additional engineers: Bill Spungin, Russell Schmidt
  • Assistant engineers: Dean Burt, Joe Travers
  • Mixed by The Isley Brothers
  • Mastered by Brian Gardner
  • Art direction by Jeri McManus
  • Photography by George Holz
  • Design by Mary Ann Dibs

Chart performance

The album charted at #140 in the US Billboard 200 while only charting at #19 on the R&B album chart. "Colder Are My Nights" peaked at #12 on the R&B charts, while "May I?" charted at #42 in 1986.

References

  1. Elias, Jason. "The Isley Brothers - Masterpiece (1985) album review, credits & releases". AllMusic. Retrieved June 22, 2014.
  2. A Touch of Classic Soul 2: The Late 1970s Marc Taylor - 2001 - Page 173 They got off to a good start with "Colder Are My Nights" reaching number 12 on the R&B charts. The brothers followed with "May I?," a pleading love song that was mildly successful in the spring of 1986. However, any joy from the album was negated when Kelly Isley died of a heart attack on March 31, 1986 at age 48.
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