Review
by Nicholas James |
 |
For his third album, Andy Gibb pretty much
abandoned song writing, allowing big brother
Barry to take the reins (I say "pretty much"
because Andy does co-write two tracks, 'One
Love', a slow-paced love song, and the
pleasant 'Someone I Ain't').
This album is really the forerunner to a
string of successful albums for the
production team of Barry Gibb, Albhy Galuten
and Karl Richardson, the team behind
successful albums for Barbra Streisand,
Dionne Warwick, Kenny Rogers and Diana Ross.
Barry Gibb writes or co-writes every track
on the album (his other co-writers are Robin
and Maurice Gibb on two tracks and Albhy
Galuten on one).
This album is uniformly excellent. It is
extremely laid back, and takes a few listens
before it sticks, but when it does you will
enjoy it all the more. The main single from
the album was 'Desire', a song that was, for
all intents and purposes, a Bee Gees record.
Written by Barry, Robin and Maurice Gibb, it
features falsetto backing vocals from the
Gibb Brothers. It is probably where the Bee
Gees would have been had they produced an
album in 1980, a sort of transition between
the endless falsetto of
Spirits
(Having Flown) and
Living Eyes.
Other notable tracks are the Bee Gees-esque
title track, 'After Dark', the light but
clever 'Wherever You Are' and the dreamy
'Falling In Love With You'. Andy duets with
Olivia Newton-John on a cover version of the
Barry Gibb country track 'Rest Your Love On
Me' and also on 'I Can't Help It', a lovely,
gentle song showing that the couple are
vocally well matched.
This album is really more of showcase for
the writing and producing talents of Barry
Gibb, and with his backing vocals ever
present throughout the album, he is
ever-present. This album was not a big hit,
but it paved the way for Barry's hugely
successful 1980s writing and producing
career. Barry's team was in place; he was
ready to take on the world.
Why Buy After Dark?
Andy Gibb's final complete studio album is a
showcase for Barry Gibb and his
co-producers, Albhy Galuten and Karl
Richardson, who would go on to produce many
legendary albums in the 1980s. This is an
important album for that reason alone. |
