Thread: Do the impossible: Love Letter Amplified

Still on Love Letter
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I'm a major fan of some old stuff and have been listening to a lot lately (Curtis Mayfield, Sam Cooke, Marvin Gaye, Stevie Wonder [classic era]); basically some of the guys who've influenced R. It got me thinking that as perfect as LL seems to be, it could have been so much better.

My question is, what would you have suggested, if you had the authority, to make the album a totally perfect album? You can take it song-by-song or any way you like. I just want to know if I'm alone in this line of thought.

I'll approach it from the tracks I feel could've different, but first thing I'll say is that no track would be dropped from the album;

- Love Letter (Prelude): I'd have included some of the instrumentals from the actual LL song without the drums and the bass. Just the keyboard and strings from an orchestra so it all just blends into the next track seamlessly; so it achieves a sequence similar to Ignition and Ignition remix on CF. Also add some background vocals (some ooohs, aaahs and youuuus
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)

- Love Letter: obviously from the aforementioned; I think Larry Gold (or Paul Riser) should've gotten a call on this track for some strings. I feel that's all it misses.

- Lost In Your Love, Just Can't Get Enough, Radio Message, When A Woman Loves, Love Is, Just Like That, Music Must Be A Lady and How Do I Tell Her: I think instead of the Midi-Horns (I hope I spelt that correctly
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) on these tracks, I'd have gotten Larry Gold and Paul Riser and put some real trumpets for that added jazzy, grand and ceremonial effect (especially for Lost In Your Love, Just Can't Get Enough, When A Woman Loves and Just Like That).

In addition, some tracks may sound better with live drums instead of the programmed beats; as a matter of fact, I think all these songs should have been recorded using live instruments and with a solid orchestra backing which would add to the 'rawness' and grit you can already feel on the tracks.
- Radio Message
- When A Woman Loves
- Music Must Be A Lady
- How Do I Tell Her
- When A Woman Loves (Remix)

I also think Fallin' Hearts and When A Woman Loves remix should've been made album tracks while the MJ tribute and LL Xmas should've been on the Best Buy Bonus CD
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Just my thoughts, jump in why don't you
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Remove You Are Not Alone, add WAWL remix, and remove Love Letter Christmas and have that as the bonus track

love letter is perfect as it is...its very modern nd very old school at the time...if it were all live instruments he would basically be copying the old school vets...but i like ur take maybe on love letter two....as fars as amplied goes...i would have love a bonus dvd with all the music videos of the making of the songs...almost similar to the centric special...with wawl video as part of the content....

live instruments would have added a bit more punch.

live brass, the sam cooke tribute shows he has done is exactly why a cat of kelly's talent and ability has to be showcased all the way.

don't get me wrong his synth,programmed and beats are sick, howevver the rolling on 26's guitar riding riffs and the tight bass grooves need to have that pop of live drums and brass in there imo.


bottom line do it all the way, because his voice is the truth, the harmony, background vocals writing and arrangements are there, now put more live instrumentation in there and he is Sick and nobody will be seeing him.


i love letter,however it could have used a bit more live instrumentation parts on some tracks.

he has the old school on lock with i can't get enough, and just like that.


put it like this, if he follows through on his 1970's james brown inspired project then you watch what i'm talking bout.


if he does the funk and grooves all the way you just watch.you will hear.

Thanks for this post. I actually think his mindset was on point but I wouldve changed a few things which wouldve made the album beyond perfect
1>Though I dig it, alot of ppl were misled to think the album was strictly based on one era of music, based off the album cover, or Kelly was tryna mimic Stevie. Dwele's last album cover is how I would've done Love Letter's cover

2>the prelude was cool but could've been better. #2 - #7 were great the way they are except..

3>A skit of Kelly being emotional calling into the radio station & the station asking if he wanted tickets or something THEN got started with "THIS IS A RADIO MESSAGE..." also a skit before How Do I Tell Her as well.

4>imo I wouldve done WAWL how Ignition was done. run the remix either directly after the original or placed it as #10

5>LL Xmas shouldve been the last track

6>Relief didnt fit well with the album at all.

7>Music Must Be A Lady started off promising but slowed down in delivery. Live instruments or something I cant place my finger wouldve done it wonders

8>the track Read All About It wouldve been PERFECT for this album along with adding another track or two
and

9>as much as ppl was feeling Kelly singing You Are Not Alone, it should've been highlighted more. when I first got the album, I didnt even know it was on the album til when I let WAWL remix end on its own. (I sometimes change to the next song as its fading out)

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Originally Posted by smile4me
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Thanks for this post. I actually think his mindset was on point but I wouldve changed a few things which wouldve made the album beyind perfect
1>Though I dig it, alot of ppl were misled to think the album was strictly based on one era of music or Kelly was tryna mimic Stevie. Dwele's last album cover is how I would've done Love Letter's cover

exactly!!! ppl were turned off because they thought all of the songs were 50's like or like wawl.....

Great thread.

remove intro: yes, it's very melodic and all, but Kells doesn't need to welcome us to anything. he also doesn't need to bring up bootleggers for two reasons: it's beneath him, and it's not relevant to the subject of the album.

remove "Music Must Be a Lady": it's bad, it goes nowhere, and goes on and on and on and on.

remove "LL Christmas:" unnecessary remix.

the album and its concept would now be fully realized.

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Originally Posted by mistermaxxx
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live instruments would have added a bit more punch.

live brass, the sam cooke tribute shows he has done is exactly why a cat of kelly's talent and ability has to be showcased all the way.

don't get me wrong his synth,programmed and beats are sick, howevver the rolling on 26's guitar riding riffs and the tight bass grooves need to have that pop of live drums and brass in there imo.


bottom line do it all the way, because his voice is the truth, the harmony, background vocals writing and arrangements are there, now put more live instrumentation in there and he is Sick and nobody will be seeing him.


i love letter,however it could have used a bit more live instrumentation parts on some tracks.

he has the old school on lock with i can't get enough, and just like that.


put it like this, if he follows through on his 1970's james brown inspired project then you watch what i'm talking bout.


if he does the funk and grooves all the way you just watch.you will hear.

Exactly bruh, there's some 'kick' he missed out on by not going all the way; his voice could have carried it well. We've seen that from his live performances. A perfect example is the 'kick-ass-ness' of his Soul Train awards performance of WAWL...

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Originally Posted by smile4me
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Thanks for this post. I actually think his mindset was on point but I wouldve changed a few things which wouldve made the album beyond perfect
1>Though I dig it, alot of ppl were misled to think the album was strictly based on one era of music, based off the album cover, or Kelly was tryna mimic Stevie. Dwele's last album cover is how I would've done Love Letter's cover

2>the prelude was cool but could've been better. #2 - #7 were great the way they are except..

3>A skit of Kelly being emotional calling into the radio station & the station asking if he wanted tickets or something THEN got started with "THIS IS A RADIO MESSAGE..." also a skit before How Do I Tell Her as well.

4>imo I wouldve done WAWL how Ignition was done. run the remix either directly after the original or placed it as #10

5>LL Xmas shouldve been the last track

6>Relief didnt fit well with the album at all.

7>Music Must Be A Lady started off promising but slowed down in delivery. Live instruments or something I cant place my finger wouldve done it wonders

8>the track Read All About It wouldve been PERFECT for this album along with adding another track or two
and

9>as much as ppl was feeling Kelly singing You Are Not Alone, it should've been highlighted more. when I first got the album, I didnt even know it was on the album til when I let WAWL remix end on its own. (I sometimes change to the next song as its fading out)

I dig the idea of the skits man; it would've given people a clearer picture of what he's on about on the songs.. I think its definitely the lack of live instruments on Music Must Be A Lady; that song isn't to be programmed, its to be performed
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Originally Posted by K. Johnson
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Great thread.

remove intro: yes, it's very melodic and all, but Kells doesn't need to welcome us to anything. he also doesn't need to bring up bootleggers for two reasons: it's beneath him, and it's not relevant to the subject of the album.

remove "Music Must Be a Lady": it's bad, it goes nowhere, and goes on and on and on and on.

remove "LL Christmas:" unnecessary remix.

the album and its concept would now be fully realized.

Crazy ass KJ
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I get what you're saying on 'Music Must Be A Lady' (one of my favourites on the album). I think its much like marmite (british folk should get it); you either love it or hate it
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^^hey, only i get to say I'm crazy. when you say it, it sounds very negative.

hahaha jk lol
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but my ideas i think are good regarding LL.