Face Up (album)
| Face Up | ||||
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| Studio album by Lisa Stansfield | ||||
| Released | 20 June 2001 | |||
| Recorded | 2001 | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 73:54 | |||
| Label | Arista | |||
| Producer | Ian Devaney | |||
| Lisa Stansfield chronology | ||||
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| Alternative cover | ||||
2003 remastered edition
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| Singles from Face Up | ||||
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| Professional ratings | |
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| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   |
| Huddersfield Daily Examiner | Positive |
Face Up is the fifth album by British singer Lisa Stansfield, released by Arista Records on 20 June 2001. It was her first new studio album since 1997's Lisa Stansfield. Stansfield co-wrote songs for the album with her husband Ian Devaney and Richard Darbyshire. Devaney also produced all the tracks. Face Up garnered favorable reviews from music critics who praised the funky and soul songs and also the adventurous usage of 2-step garage beats in the first single, "Let's Just Call It Love". The disco-flavored "8-3-1", selected as the second single, was withdrawn at the last minute. Face Up was released in Europe and Japan, and performed moderately on the charts reaching top forty in the European countries. Face Up was re-released as a deluxe 2CD + DVD set in the United Kingdom on 10 November 2014 and in Europe on 21 November 2014.
Lisa Stansfield released Face Up in June 2001, four years after her previous studio album, Lisa Stansfield. In the meantime, she starred in the musical comedy Swing (1999) and also recorded ten songs for the Swing: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack. In 1999, Stansfield recorded "The Longer We Make Love", duet with Barry White, included on his album, Staying Power, and in 2000, she recorded "You Keep Me Hangin' On" for the Motown Mania compilation. Face Up was Stansfield's last studio album released by Arista Records.
Face Up was recorded in 2001. "We really enjoyed making that album," Stansfield said. "I was feeling good and I was very positive about everything. And that definitely comes out in the mood of the album." She co-wrote most songs with her husband Ian Devaney and Richard Darbyshire from the 80's band Living in a Box. Devaney also produced the entire album. "You Can Do That" and "When the Last Sun Goes Down" were co-written by Frank Musker, and "8-3-1" and "Can't Wait to" were co-written by Charlotte Kelly. "Boyfriend" was written by Stansfield and Devaney alone. The title track contains a sample from "First Come, First Serve" by Ramon Morris, and "8-3-1" starts off with a classic cinema line from Audrey Hepburn, "Oh I love you." On Face Up, Stansfield showcases her approach to classic funk and soul music and also tries out the contemporary urban beats of modern R&B. The album was released with thirteen songs in Europe and fourteen in the United Kingdom, including "All over Me." The Japanese edition included two bonus tracks: remix of "Let's Just Call It Love" and "Can't Wait To". In 2003, the album was remastered and re-released as limited edition digipak with "All over Me" and two other bonus songs: "Can't Wait To" and "You Get Me" (from the 1997 single "Don't Cry for Me"). Four songs were performed during Stansfield's concert at Ronnie Scott's Jazz Club which was released on DVD in 2005 titled simply Live at Ronnie Scott's.
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