Exposure (Exposé album)

Exposure
Studio album by
Exposé
ReleasedMarch 2, 1987
RecordedApril 1985 – January 1987
StudioUnique Recording (New York City)
Genre
Length44:36
LabelArista
ProducerLewis A. Martineé
Exposé chronology
Exposure
(1987) 		What You Don't Know
(1989)
Singles from Exposure
  1. "Point of No Return"
    Released: March 11, 1985; April 1987 (re-recorded)
  2. "Exposed to Love"
    Released: December 1985
  3. "Come Go with Me"
    Released: January 1987
  4. "Let Me Be the One"
    Released: August 1987
  5. "Seasons Change"
    Released: November 1987
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[2]
Robert ChristgauB−[3]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide[4]

Exposure is the debut studio album by American girl group Exposé, released on March 2, 1987, by Arista Records. It reached number 16 on the Billboard 200 and number 20 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart, and was certified double platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) in May 1990. The album spawned four top-ten singles on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, including "Seasons Change", which topped the chart in February 1988. Other successful singles were the breakthrough single "Come Go with Me" (number 5 U.S.), a re-recorded version of the song "Point of No Return" (number 5 U.S.), and "Let Me Be the One" (number 7 U.S.). This was the first debut album by a group to feature four top-10 entries on the Billboard Hot 100 – a feat Cyndi Lauper achieved as a solo artist with her 1983 album She's So Unusual.[5]

When first released, the album featured the original 1984 recording of "Point of No Return", with lead vocals by Alé Lorenzo. On all subsequent versions, including its release on compact disc, the re-recording with Jeanette Jurado on lead is featured, which was also the single version released to radio several years after the original made its rounds on urban radio and in clubs. However, all pressings of the album feature the original 1985 recording of "Exposed to Love", with lead vocals by Alé Lorenzo.

Lead vocals of the majority of the album were sung by Jurado. Gioia Bruno and Ann Curless each sing lead on two tracks, with Bruno on "Let Me Be the One" and "December", and Curless on "Extra Extra" and "Love Is Our Destiny". On the track "I Know You Know", Jurado sings lead, then Bruno provides a soulful improvisation at the end.

Track listing

All tracks written by Lewis Martineé, except where noted.

No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Come Go with Me" (recorded October 1985 – March 1986) 4:19
2."Let Me Be the One" (recorded August 1986 – January 1987) 4:18
3."Exposed to Love" (recorded April–August 1985) 3:35
4."Seasons Change" (recorded October 1986 – January 1987) 4:55
5."Extra Extra" (recorded July 1986) 3:47
6."Point of No Return" (recorded December 1984 – February 1985, re-recorded 1987) 6:09
7."Love Is Our Destiny" (recorded August 1986 – January 1987)Jay Martin, Alex Villa-Lobos, Martineé3:21
8."I Know You Know" (recorded August 1986 – January 1987) 4:00
9."You're the One I Need" (recorded October 1986 – January 1987) 4:14
10."December" (recorded January 1986)Fro Sosa, Martineé6:06
2015 Cherry Pop deluxe edition (bonus tracks)
No.TitleLength
11."Point of No Return" (1985 Single Version) 
12."Exposed to Love" (Single Mix) 
13."Come Go with Me" (Single Mix) 
14."December" (Single Version) 
15."Point of No Return" (1987 Single Version) 
16."Let Me Be the One" (Remix Edit/Single Version) 
17."Seasons Change" (Radio Mix) 
18."Point of No Return" (PWL UK 7-inch Remix) 

2015 Cherry Pop deluxe edition (bonus disc)

  1. "Exposed to Love" (Extended Mix)
  2. "Come Go with Me" (Extended Mix)
  3. "Point of No Return" (Extended Mix)
  4. "Let Me Be the One" (Extended Remix)
  5. "Seasons Change" (Extended Mix)
  6. "Come Go with Me" (Radio Mix)
  7. "Point of No Return" (Crossover Mix)
  8. "Let Me Be the One" ("Crossover" Mix)
  9. "Seasons Change" (Crossover Mix)
  10. "Point of No Return" (PWL UK Extended Mix)
  11. "Let Me Be the One" (UK Remix)

Personnel

Exposé

  • Alé, Sandée, and Laurie Miller (original line-up): lead and backing vocals on "Point of No Return" (original version, first pressing), "Exposed to Love"
  • Ann Curless ("Extra Extra" and "Love Is Our Destiny"), Gioia Bruno ("Let Me Be the One", "I Know You Know" and "December"), Jeanette Jurado ("Come Go with Me", "Seasons Change", "Point of No Return", "I Know You Know" and "You're the One I Need"): lead and backing vocals on all other tracks

Musicians

  • Nestor Gomez: lead and rhythm guitar
  • George "Jet" Finess: lead guitar on "Point of No Return," "Exposed to Love", and "December"
  • Steve Grove: saxophone
  • Fro Sosa: keyboards, synthesizers, and synth solos
  • Lewis A. Martineé: keyboards, percussion and drum programming

Technical

  • Executive producers: Francisco J. Diaz (for Pantera Productions) and Ed Eckstine
  • Arranged and produced by Lewis A. Martineé for Pantera Productions
  • Recorded and engineered by Mike Couzzi & John Hagg
  • Assistant recording engineers: Carlos Santos, Terresa Verplanck, David Barton, Carlos Nieto, Frank Prinzel, Sam Safirstein, Victor Di Persia, Ernie Williams, Charles Dye and Barabara Milne
  • Mixed by Lewis A. Martineé and Chris Lord-Alge
  • Mastered by José Rodriguez

Charts

Certifications

Certifications for Exposure
Region Certification Certified units/sales
Canada (Music Canada)[13] Gold 50,000^
United States (RIAA)[14] 2× Platinum 2,000,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

References

  1. ^ a b Breihan, Tom (April 16, 2021). "The Number Ones: Exposé's "Seasons Change". Stereogum. Retrieved November 10, 2023. ... Exposé's debut album...is a monster, a consistently enjoyable burst of bubbly percussion and pop hooks that barely ever lets up. Latin freestyle was always a singles genre, but almost every track on Exposure sounded like a single.
  2. ^ AllMusic review
  3. ^ Robert Christgau review
  4. ^ The Rolling Stone Album Guide. Random House. 1992. p. 235.
  5. ^ Bronson, Fred (2003). The Billboard Book of Number One Hits, 5th Edition (Billboard Publications), page 691.
  6. ^ "Top RPM Albums: Issue 8815". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved May 8, 2022.
  7. ^ "Expose Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved January 14, 2021.
  8. ^ "Expose Chart History (Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved January 14, 2021.
  9. ^ "Billboard 200 Albums – Year-End 1987". Billboard. Archived from the original on June 27, 2020. Retrieved January 14, 2021.
  10. ^ "Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums – Year-End 1987". Billboard. Archived from the original on January 15, 2021. Retrieved January 14, 2021.
  11. ^ "Billboard 200 Albums – Year-End 1988". Billboard. Archived from the original on August 11, 2020. Retrieved January 14, 2021.
  12. ^ "1988 The Year in Music & Video – Top Black Albums" (PDF). Billboard. Vol. 100, no. 52. December 24, 1988. p. Y-24. ISSN 0006-2510 – via World Radio History.
  13. ^ "Canadian album certifications – Expose – Exposure". Music Canada. March 10, 1988. Retrieved May 9, 2022.
  14. ^ "American album certifications – Expose – Exposure". Recording Industry Association of America. May 24, 1990. Retrieved May 9, 2022.