Lionel Richie
wasn't necessarily emboldened by the success of
Can't Slow Down
-- after all, he had experienced huge success since
the Commodores
-- but there is nevertheless a sense of swagger on its 1986 successor,
Dancing on the Ceiling
. This isn't entirely a good thing, since it means he indulges in silliness (the title track) and sappiness (
"Ballerina Girl"
) in equal measure, seemingly without quite realizing how ridiculous either extreme is. Maybe that's because he still has a strong sense of popcraft, something that makes
"Dancing in the Ceiling"
stick in the head even if its lyrics are awful, something that makes
work for a slow dance even if it is awfully sugary. This dichotomy is evident throughout the record, as
Richie
pulls out good music even if he indulges all of his worst impulses a little bit too much. He adds a bit more dance to this album, and while the grooves are funkier than anything since
, they run on too long -- at eight minutes,
"Don't Stop"
takes its title command far too seriously. This same tendency is apparent on the
ballads
and slower songs, which all stay around a little longer than they should, something that gives the impression that this record is a little less focused or consistent than the two blockbusters that preceded it. While it is true that there is nothing here nearly as good as the hits on
and
, it also is true that on a track-by-track level, it's more consistent, never having resorting to the formless filler that peppered those two otherwise excellent records. This is a good thing, but it would have been better if the record had boasted one or two undeniable singles, or, if it didn't, would at least have been a little tighter. That said,
is a solid, enjoyable affair -- a comedown after the peaks of
, and one that suggests that
needed the extended break he took after its release, but a good record all the same. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine