It's hard to fully explain the lukewarm reception that Willis's second album received, especially after the generally warm reception for "The Return of Bruno". It's possible it was the rather dull cover artwork, possibly the long album title. It could even have been the choice of music and musical styles, which covers R&B from the '40s to the '60s for the most part -- horn-driven, powerhouse music that has Stax all over it. Rather than trying to appeal to everyone and coming up with abysmal vanity projects, Willis, one of many actors who decided to try the music world, has thrown himself at the music he loves best, and has come up looking good on the second release. Willis is no opera tenor, but he has a powerful bluesy shout (not to mention a mean harmonica talent) that deserves its thundering presence in generally thundering mixes (this band works, sweats, and rocks out with a nice live sound in the studio). He also writes fairly decent Iyrics, which is a major plus, and he has a distinct sense of humor, which goes even further toward making the man likable. The exceptions are the somewhat pedestrian cover of &"Save the Last Dance for Me," which has the disadvantage of a beautiful, unsurpassable original to compare it against (Willis doesn't seem to know what to do with it, and sort of wanders around vocally) and the cover of Louis Jordan's "Barnyard Boogie," executed from Jordan's charts.
Track List:
01. "Pep Talk" - 4:33
02. "Crazy Mixed-Up World" - 3:27
03. "Turn It Up (A Little Louder)" - 4:08
04. "Soul Shake" - 2:53
05. "Here Comes Trouble Again" - 4:54
06. "Save The Last Dance For Me" - 3:52
07. "Blues For Mr.D" - 5:27
08. "Tenth Avenue Tango" - 4:06
09. "Can't Leave Her Alone" - 3:56
10. "Barnyard Boogie" - 2:57
11. "Love Makes The World Go Round" - 2:58
12. "I'll Go Crazy" - 3:29
Released: 1989
Recorded at: Hollywood Sound Recorders, Ocean Way Studios, Five Spot Studios and The Sound Factory, Hollywood, CA and the Hit Factory, New York, NY.
Label: Motown
Genre: Rock, Blues
Producer: Robert Kraft
Mixed at: The Enterprise, Burbank, CA.
Mastered at: Bernie Grundman Mastering, Hollywood, CA.
Recorded By: Dave McNair
Mixed By: Dave McNair
Mastered By: Brian Gardner
Engineered: Fred Kelly Jr. , Julie Last , Martin Horenberg , Paul Logus , Stacy Baird
Engineer [Assistant]: Martin Schmelze
Personnel
Vocals - Bruce Willis
Bass - Roscoe Beck
Drums - Tom Brechtlein
Guitar - David Grissom, Robben Ford
Harmonica - Bruce Willis
Organ [Hammond B-3], William Smith
Saxophone [Baritone], Greg Smith
Saxophone [Tenor], Joe Sublett
Trumpet - Darrel Leonard
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