Alex Loves...

Alex Loves... is the eighth studio album by American recording artist Alexander O'Neal. It was originally released in January 2008, on the label EMI as the follow-up to his 2002 album Saga of a Married Man. The album is considered to be a departure from O'Neal's sound, because it consists of cover versions mainly of standard R&B songs, with the exception of the last song "We're On Our Way", which was co-written by O'Neal.

The album was received negatively by the majority of music critics, while other reviewers noted good points to the album. The album peaked at #49 in the UK, and was his first charting album of new material for 6 years.^[1]

Critical reception

In a retrospective review, Sharon Mawer of AllMusic gave the album two and a half out of five stars (his poorest star rating) and wrote that "the choice of songs on Alex Loves was rather a strange mixture and most simply didn't work" also adding that "Not an album to recommend except to the die-hard fans who kept his name alive while he was away."^[2]

Personnel

Credits are adapted from the album's liner notes.^[3]

"Secret Lovers"

• Nat Augustin – guitars; keyboards; programming; backing vocals
• Leigh Guest – keyboards; programming
• Mica Paris – backing vocals
• Fay Jones – backing vocals

"A Million Love Songs"

• Andy Whitmore – guitars; keyboards; programming
• Leigh Guest – keyboards; programming
• Nat Augustin – backing vocals

"Right Here Waiting"

• Edward Stewart – guitars
• Andy Whitmore – keyboards; programming
• Leigh Guest – keyboards; programming

"Unbreak My Heart"

• Edward Stewart – guitars
• Andy Whitmore – keyboards; programming
• Leigh Guest – keyboards; programming
• James Davies – trumpet
• Angelo Starr – backing vocals
• Nat Augustin – backing vocals
• Fay Jones – backing vocals

"Your Song"

• Edward Stewart – guitars
• Richard Denapoli – live drums
• Andy Whitmore – keyboards; programming
• Leigh Guest – keyboards; programming

"Saturday Love"

• Bianca Lindgren – guest vocals; backing vocals
• Edward Stewart – guitars
• Andy Whitmore – keyboards; programming
• Leigh Guest – keyboards; programming
• Nat Augustin – backing vocals
• Angelo Starr – backing vocals

"If You Were Here Tonight"

• Nat Augustin – guitars; keyboards; programming; backing vocals
• Leigh Guest – keyboards; programming
• Ann Augustin – backing vocals

"What You Won't Do For Love"

• Nat Augustin – keyboards; programming; trombone; backing vocals
• Leigh Guest – keyboards; programming
• James Davies – trumpet
• Fay Jones – backing vocals
• Angelo Starr – backing vocals

"When a Man Loves a Woman"

• Andy Whitmore – guitars; keyboards; programming
• Edward Stewart – guitars
• Richard Denapoli – live drums
• Pat Byrne – bass guitar
• Leigh Guest – keyboards; programming
• James Davies – trumpet
• Nat Augustin – backing vocals

"Babe"

• Andy Whitmore – guitars; keyboards; programming
• Richard Denapoli – live drums
• Leigh Guest – keyboards; programming
• Angelo Starr – backing vocals
• Nat Augustin – backing vocals
• Fay Jones – backing vocals

"Always & Forever"

• Nat Augustin – guitars; keyboards; programming; backing vocals
• Richard Denapoli – live drums
• Leigh Guest – keyboards; programming
• Ann Augustin – backing vocals

"You're the First, the Last, My Everything"

• Nat Augustin – guitars; backing vocals
• Edward Stewart – guitars
• Richard Denapoli – live drums
• Pat Byrne – bass guitar
• Leigh Guest – keyboards; programming
• Andy Whitmore – keyboards; programming
• James Davies – trumpet
• Fay Jones – backing vocals

"Cherish"

• Leigh Guest – keyboards; programming
• Andy Whitmore – keyboards; programming
• Angelo Starr – backing vocals
• Nat Augustin – backing vocals

"I'll Make Love to You"

• Nigel Lowis – keyboards; programming; string arrangements
• Leigh Guest – keyboards; programming
• Angelo Starr – backing vocals
• Nat Augustin – backing vocals

"We're On Our Way"

• Nat Augustin – guitars; keyboards; programming; backing vocals

Charts

References

1. ^ "UK Charts > Alexander O'Neal". Official Charts Company. Archived from the original on 2012-06-28. Retrieved 2012-05-26.
2. ^ Mawer, Sharon. "Alex Loves". AllMusic. Retrieved January 26, 2015.
3. ^ Alex Loves... liner notes'. EMI. 2008.