Niecy is an album by American singer Deniece Williams which was released in 1982 on ARC/Columbia Records.[1] The album reached No. 5 on the Top Soul Albums chart and No. 20 on the Billboard 200.

Niecy
Studio album by
ReleasedMarch 19, 1982
Recorded1981
StudioSigma Sound, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
GenreR&B, soul
LabelARC/Columbia
ProducerThom Bell, Deniece Williams
Deniece Williams chronology
My Melody
(1981)
Niecy
(1982)
I'm So Proud
(1983)

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic [2]
Robert ChristgauB+[3]

With a B+, Robert Christgau found "Williams's exquisite clarity and thrilling range have always slotted her among the perfect angels for me, but there's a lot more to her work with Thom Bell, who finally challenges Burt Bacharach on his own turf, applying strings and woodwinds and amplifiers with a deft economy that textures rather than sweetens. And Williams's lyrics, while never startling, become increasingly personal as her professional confidence grows--she's wrinkling her brow more and her nose less."[3] People described the album as "upbeat, soulful and polished."[4]

Justin Kantor of AllMusic wrote that "Williams enlisted Philly soulmeister Thom Bell as her co-producer (and primary co-writer) a second time on this mellow 1982 release. Building upon the lush balladry of 1981's My Melody, this set inevitably bears a few similarities to its predecessor, but manages a more diverse soundscape."[2] J.D. Considine of Musician wrote: "Williams like the Spinners' Philippe Wynne has the uncanny ability to pull the most out of a tune while maintaining a distinctive vocal personality. Philly Soul lives."[5] Crispin Cioe of High Fidelity found "as a writer, Williams deals in the unabashedly romantic; as a singer she lends her lines an emotionalism that rings true. In Bell's sympathetically rich arranging/production context small sentiments take on grand proportions, and therein lies the album's charm."[6]

Singles

A cover of The Royalettes' "It's Gonna Take a Miracle" was released as a single. The song peaked at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot R&B Songs chart, No. 6 on the Billboard Adult Contemporary Singles chart and No. 10 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.

Track listing

Original release

Side one
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Waiting by the Hotline"Deniece Williams, Thom Bell3:40
2."It's Gonna Take a Miracle"Teddy Randazzo, Bob Weinstein, Lou Stallman4:10
3."Love Notes"Deniece Williams, Skip Scarborough4:22
4."I Believe in Miracles"Deniece Williams, Bill Neale2:52
Side two
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
5."How Does It Feel"Deniece Williams, Thom Bell5:50
6."Waiting"Deniece Williams, Thom Bell4:32
7."Now is The Time for Love"Deniece Williams, Thom Bell4:09
8."A Part of Love"Deniece Williams, Kevin Bassinson3:39

Personnel

Musicians

  • Deniece Williams – vocals
  • Thom Bell – keyboards, backing vocals, arrangements and conductor
  • George Merrill – synthesizers, backing vocals
  • Bobby Eli – guitars
  • Bill Neale – guitars, strings (4)
  • Bob Babbitt – bass guitar, Piccolo bass
  • Charles Collins – drums
  • Ed Shea – percussion
  • Larry Washington – percussion
  • Don Renaldo – strings, horns
  • Joseph B. Jefferson – backing vocals

Production

  • Producers – Thom Bell and Deniece Williams
  • Production Coordinatior – Bill Neale
  • Engineer – Joe Tarsia
  • Second Engineers – Dirk Devlen and Michael Tarsia
  • Mastered by Mike Reese at The Mastering Lab (Los Angeles, CA).
  • Design – Nancy Donald
  • Photography – Allan Luftig

[1]

Charts

Year-end charts

Chart (1982)Position
US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard)[9]32

Singles

YearSingleChartPosition
1982"It's Gonna Take a Miracle"US Billboard Hot 10010
US Billboard R&B Singles1
US Billboard Adult Contemporary Singles6
"Waiting by the Hotline"US Billboard Hot 100103
US Billboard R&B Singles29
"Waiting"72

References