Laura Branigan "Laura Branigan (USA, Atlantic Records, 7 82086-2)"

Laura Branigan is the sixth studio album by American singer Laura Branigan, released on March 21, 1990, by Atlantic Records. The album's lead single, "Moonlight on Water", reached number 59 on the Billboard Hot 100, while the second single, "Never in a Million Years", peaked at number 22 on Billboard's Adult Contemporary chart. The third and final single, a cover version of Vicki Sue Robinson's 1976 song "Turn the Beat Around", failed to chart. The song "Unison" was recorded by Celine Dion the same year.

Billboard Magazine praised the album for its "jaunty, up-tempo dance tunes" but noted that "Branigan still excels at shimmering tear jerker ballads like 'Never in a Million Years' and 'No Promise, No Guarantee'."

In their review of the album, Cashbox noted that "Branigan rolled out some heavyweight producers who are known for delivering the goods," and that "this is one of the most solid efforts she has produced, ranging from the ballads for which she's known to a more conscious effort to court the dance crowd."

Allmusic were much more critical in their review, "short on ideas even with a three-year layoff (they couldn't even think of an album title!), the Laura Branigan brain trust put its faith in drum programs to carry a collection of mediocre originals, a lame cover of Vicki Sue Robinson's dance classic "Turn the Beat Around," and a Bryan Adams castoff. Branigan sang with her usual gusto, but even slick producers like Richard Perry and Peter Wolf couldn't animate the material."

Track listing

1. "Moonlight on Water" 4:39
2. "Bad Attitude" 4:00
3. "Never in a Million Years" 4:08
4. "Smoke Screen" 4:06
5. "Let Me In" 5:18
6. "Turn the Beat Around" 4:22
7. "Unison"   4:40
8. "No Promise, No Guarantee" 5:00
9. "Reverse Psychology" 3:33
10. "The Best Was Yet to Come" 3:21

Recording information:

Recorded at: Howie Sound (Studio City, California), Steve Lindsey (Hollywood, California), Westlake (Los Angeles, California), 55 (Los Angeles, California), Hollywood Sound (Hollywood, California), The Bunny Hop (Hollywood, California), The Village Recorder (Los Angeles, California), Music Grinder (Hollywood, California), Midi Madness (Los Angeles, California), Lion Share (Los Angeles, California), Sunset Sound (Hollywood, California), Cornerstone Recorders (Chatsworth, California), Alpha (Burbank, California), Ultimo (Los Angeles, California)

Richard Perry – production (tracks 1, 2, 4)

Peter Wolf – production (tracks 3, 8)

Laura Branigan – production (tracks 5, 6, 10)

Steve Lindsey – production (tracks 5, 6, 9, 10); co-production (track 4)

Dennis Matkosky – production, engineering assistance (track 5)

Peter Bunetta – production (track 7)

Rick Chudacoff – production (track 7)

Steve Kipner – production (track 9)

Clif Magness – production, engineering (track 9)

Julie Larson – production coordination (tracks 1, 2, 4, 6, 9)

Ramsey Embick – engineering (tracks 1, 2)

Gabe Veltri – engineering (tracks 1, 5, 6, 10)

Norman (Slam) Whitfield Jr. – engineering (tracks 1, 2); mixing (track 2)

Jess Sutcliffe – engineering (tracks 1, 5, 6, 9, 10)

Paul Ericksen – engineering (tracks 1–6, 8–10); mixing (tracks 3, 5, 8, 10)

Andy Batwinas – engineering assistance (track 1)

Eric Anest – engineering assistance (tracks 1, 2, 6, 9, 10); engineering (track 4)

Bill Molina – engineering assistance (track 1)

Richard Engstrom – engineering assistance (tracks 1, 2, 4, 9)

Keith Cohen – mixing (track 1)

Martin Schmelzel – engineering (track 2)

David Schober – engineering (track 2)

Ric Butz – engineering assistance (track 2)

Carlos Golliher – production coordination (tracks 3, 8)

Richard Cottrell – engineering (track 4)

Charlie Pollard – engineering assistance (tracks 4, 6)

John Karpowich – engineering assistance (tracks 4, 10)

Alan Meyerson – mixing (tracks 4, 6)

Guy DeFazio – engineering assistance (track 5)

Van Coppock – engineering assistance (track 5)

Charlie Brocco – engineering assistance (tracks 5, 9)

Susanne Marie Edgren – production coordination (track 5)

Mike Kloster – engineering assistance (track 6)

Leon Johnson – recording, engineering (track 7)

Marnie Riley – engineering assistance (track 7)

Bryan Arnett – engineering assistance (track 7)

Russ Ragsdale – engineering assistance (track 7)

Steve Egelman – engineering assistance (track 7)

Peter Barker – engineering (track 9)

Ken Felton – engineering assistance (track 9)

Robert Hart – engineering assistance (tracks 9, 10)

Humberto Gatica – mixing (track 9)

Gabe Moffat – engineering assistance (track 10)

Gail Esposito – production coordination (track 10)

Stephen Marcussen – mastering at Precision Lacquer (Hollywood, California)

Doug Morris – executive production

Bob Defrin – art direction

Greg Gorman – photography