On The Road Again: Laura Branigan "Self Control (Germany, Atlantic Records, 7567-80147-2)"

Self Control is the third album by American singer Laura Branigan, released in 1984. Two songs from the album were US Top-20 hits, the title song (#4) and "The Lucky One" (#20). The album became Branigan's biggest commercial success, earning her a Platinum certification in the United States for over 1 million confirmed sales, and selling several million copies worldwide. Branigan also enjoyed huge success in some countries with the single "Ti amo" (her second Umberto Tozzi cover, after "Gloria"), which reached #5 in the Canadian singles chart, but most notably reaching #2 in Australia. The album was a huge success internationally, gaining several sales certifications.

A remastered and expanded edition of the album was released on April 25, 2013 by Gold Legion. Included are remixes of "The Lucky One" and "Satisfaction", as well as the extended version of "Self Control".

In their review of the album, Billboard commended the album as "a superbly balanced set of powerful rhythm pieces and big, torchy ballads. The stand-out in the latter category is a heartfelt version of the Carole King classic "Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow." Several of the songs were translated from French into English, and have the continental flair that characterized Branigan's top 10 hits "Gloria" and "Solitaire."

Cashbox called it a "marvelously textured album" noting that "with the imminent success of the slow-grooving title track single, the album is sure to take hold of the public’s heart...this disc provides the powerful voiced songstress the variety of melody needed to show off her superior interpretive voice."

Allmusic noted that "Laura Branigan's third album capitalized on the Euro-dance-pop and affecting ballads that made her an international star while allowing her to grow as a vocalist. Her collections, always uneven in terms of material, benefit mostly from her stellar voice, and this is no exception."The Lucky One" and "Heart" start slow and build to a crescendo, perfectly showcasing her range without being obvious. The title track, about finding sex in the seamy side of town, sparked a bit of a controversy, but ended up being her second biggest hit. The song itself works, but Branigan was never a sex bomb, so the fact that she pulls it off is indicative of her power as a performer. "Ti Amo" is the album's theatrical ballad, which works well with breathy, dramatic vocals. She even pulls off a graceful cover of "Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow" that is clear and simple"

Track listing