Luther Vandross - From Luther with Love: The Videos
It should come as no shock that a collection of Luther Vandross videos is entitledFrom Luther with Love, for this is a pop singer so unabashedly romantic that he makes other soul crooners (the late Barry White, for instance) seem like monks in comparison. The 15 videos collected here span some 20 years of Vandross' career, starting with 1981's "Never Too Much." The quality varies; the earlier items, like "Stop to Love," are fairly primitive by today's standards, while more recent videos ("Your Secret Love") are beautifully shot, with the kind of moody lighting and sophisticated vibe that perfectly suit the singer's lush, sensuous style. But whether he's in concert ("Always and Forever," "Superstar"), on his own, or dueting with another singer ("There's Nothing Better than Love" with Gregory Hines; "Endless Love" with a typically over-the-top Mariah Carey), Luther Vandross is lost in love--even the one tune where things appear to go wrong ("It's Over Now") is nothing but a bad dream. Bonus material includes the usual bio, discography, and photos, along with interviews (though not with Vandross himself), a couple of extra songs, and more.--Sam Graham