On the Rise
{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2025}}
{{Infobox album
| name = On the Rise
| type = Studio album
| artist = The S.O.S. Band
| cover = SOS Band album On the rise.jpg
| alt =
| released = July 1, 1983
| recorded = 1982–1983
Master Sound Studio
(Atlanta, Georgia)
Larrabee Sound
(Los Angeles, California)
Sound Masters
(Los Angeles, California)
| venue =
| studio =
| genre = {{hlist|Funk|electro|boogie|urban|soul}}
| length = 42:24
| label = Tabu
| producer = {{hlist|Jimmy Jam|Terry Lewis|{{nowrap|Gene Dozier}}|The S.O.S. Band}}
| prev_title = III
| prev_year = 1982
| next_title = Just the Way You Like It
| next_year = 1984
}}
{{Music ratings
| rev1 =AllMusic
| rev1Score = {{Rating|4|5}}{{AllMusic |class=album |id=r18473 |tab=review |label=On the Rise > review |first=Amy |last=Hanson |accessdate=2012-05-27}}
|rev3 = Record Collector
|rev3Score = {{Rating|4|5}}{{cite web|url=https://recordcollectormag.com/reviews/sos-band-on-the-rise-expanded-edition|title=SOS BAND - SOS BAND ON THE RISE: EXPANDED EDITION|author=Waring, Charles|publisher=Record Collector|website=recordcollectormag.com}}
|rev2 = The Boston Globe
|rev2Score = (favourable){{cite web|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-boston-globe/60043753/|title=The S.O.S Band: On The Rise|author=Smith, Marcia|page=84|date=February 9, 1984|publisher=Boston Globe|website=newspapers.com}}
}}
On the Rise is the fourth album by the R&B band the S.O.S. Band, released by Tabu Records on July 1, 1983.{{cite AV media notes |title=On the Rise|author=Earth, Wind & Fire|year=1983|type=album|publisher=Tabu Records}}
Critical reception
Marcia Smith of the Boston Globe claimed, "Smooth production, dynamic vocals and strong dance rhythms characterize this album...All in all, good danceable rhythm blues."
Amy Hanson of Allmusic with praise wrote, "Hip, slick, and full of dance tricks, the band infused On the Rise with enough '80s synth sounds to break through in the clubs, while keeping their funk roots intact. Energized throughout, the set hardly slows down for a moment...On the Rise is the sound of a band finding their feet again -- and knowing what to do with them once they'd found them."
History
The album peaked at #7 on the R&B albums chart. It also reached #47 on the Billboard 200. The album yielded two Billboard R&B Top Ten singles, "Just Be Good to Me" and "Tell Me If You Still Care", each peaking at #2 and #5. Both singles also charted on the Billboard Hot 100, reaching #55 and #65. "Just Be Good to Me" also peaked at #3 on the Hot Dance Club Play chart and #13 on the UK Singles Chart. The third single, "For Your Love", also charted on the R&B chart, reaching #34. The album also includes a cover of Johnnie Taylor's 1968 hit song, "Who's Making Love".
On the Rise was produced by Gene Dozier, Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis.The album was digitally remastered and reissued on CD with bonus tracks in 2013 by Demon Music Group.
Track listing
{{Track listing
| headline = Side one
| title1 = Tell Me If You Still Care
| writer1 = Terry Lewis, James Harris III
| length1 = 6:58
| title2 = Just Be Good to Me
| writer2 = Terry Lewis, James Harris III
| length2 = 9:03
| title3 = For Your Love
| writer3 = Terry Lewis, James Harris III
| length3 = 6:09
}}
{{Track listing
| headline = Side two
| title4 = I'm Not Runnin'
| writer4 = Travis Biggs, Mary Davis, Connie Scotto
| length4 = 4:37
| title5 = If You Want My Love
| writer5 = Jerome Thomas, John A. Simpson III
| length5 = 4:20
| title6 = On the Rise
| writer6 = John A. Simpson III
| length6 = 3:30
| title7 = Who's Making Love
| writer7 = Homer Banks, Don Davis, Raymond Jackson, Bettye Crutcher
| length7 = 4:16
| title8 = Steppin' the Stones
| writer8 = Gene Dozier, Crystal McCarey
| length8 = 3:23
}}
{{Track listing
| headline = 2013 remastered bonus tracks
| title9 = For Your Love
| note9 = Extended Version
| writer9 = Terry Lewis, James Harris III
| length9 = 9:29
| title10 = If You Want My Love
| note10 = Extended Version
| writer10 = Jerome Thomas, John A. Simpson III
| length10 = 4:57
| title11 = Just Be Good to Me
| note11 = Special Version
| writer11 = Terry Lewis, James Harris III
| length11 = 8:50
| title12 = Just Be Good to Me
| note12 = Vocal Remix
| writer12 = Terry Lewis, James Harris III
| length12 = 7:41
}}
Personnel
The S.O.S. Band
- Jason Bryant – keyboards, vocals
- Mary Davis – lead vocals
- Billy Ellis – saxophone
- Willie "Sonny" Killebrew – saxophone, flute
- Abdul Ra'oof – trumpet, flugelhorn, percussion, lead vocals
- John A. Simpson III – bass
- Bruno Speight – guitar
- Jerome "J.T." Thomas – drums, percussion
Production
- Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, Gene Dozier, The S.O.S. Band – producers, arrangers
- Clarence Avant – executive producer
- Tina Stephans – A&R coordinator
- Ron Cristopher, Bob Brown, Sabrina Buchanek, Judy Clapp, Taavi Mote – engineers
- Steve Hodge – engineer, mixing engineer
- Brian Gardner – mastering
- Bunnie Jackson Ransom – management
- Ezra Tucker – cover illustration
- Ford Smith – back cover photo
Charts
| class="wikitable"
!Chart (1983) !Peak |
| U.S. Billboard Top LPs & Tapes
|align="center"|47 |
| U.S. Billboard Top Black Albums
|align="center"|7 |
;Singles
| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;" |
| rowspan="2"| Year
! rowspan="2"| Single ! colspan="4"| Peak chart positions |
|---|
| style="font-size:smaller;"
! width="40"| US ! width="40"| US ! width="40"| US ! width="40"| UK |
| rowspan="2"|1983
| align="left"| "Just Be Good to Me" | 55 | 2 | 3 | 13 |
| align="left"| "Tell Me If You Still Care"
| 65 | 5 | — | 81 |
| rowspan="1"|1984
| align="left"| "For Your Love" | — | 34 | 26 | — |
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [http://www.discogs.com/SOS-Band-On-The-Rise/master/102156 On the Rise] at Discogs
{{The S.O.S. Band}}
{{Authority control}}