Lisa Stansfield’s Debut Album ‘Affection’ Turns 30 | Anniversary Retrospective

 posted on November 17, 2019 by Matthew Hocter

Happy 30th Anniversary to Lisa Stansfield’s debut album Affection, originally released November 20, 1989.

The late ‘80s and early ‘90s were a playground for the burgeoning new music style known simply as “house.” A mixture of thumping bass, synth, piano and many times coupled with soulful vocals, House Music not only went on to dominate a part of musical history, but it also formed a massive part of the post-disco, pre-techno landscape that will forever be ingrained in our hearts, not to mention our playlists.

  Lisa Stansfield, the northern lass with a voice that belied her appearance, was one such integral singer-songwriter that was storming the charts at the time with her debut album Affection (1989). I remember exactly how I felt the first time I heard Stansfield’s soulful voice belting out “Been around the world and I, I, I / I can't find my baby.” I was all of fourteen years old at the time and craving something that I could move to, yet something that possessed some kind of soul. My limit of kitsch ‘80s pop and power ballads had been reached, and I was craving something different. My whole world had come to a hilt. Stansfield’s vocals on their own had me awestruck from the get go, but her voice coupled with the über chic music video for “Around The World” and that lone curl, well, let's just say that the phrase “died and gone to heaven” couldn’t even begin to sum up what I was feeling at the time. Thirty years later and my feelings demand so many more words.

Fresh off of the success from Coldcut’s “People Hold On" an innovative dance track that stormed the charts globally, Stansfield was able to secure a deal with Arista Records as a solo artist, also allowing for former Blue Zone band members Ian Devaney and Andy Morris to make up her creative team of sorts. Affection was recorded throughout 1989 and all of its tracks were written and produced by the trio with the exception of the album’s lead single “This Is The Right Time" which Coldcut returned to produce.

Over the years, much has been made about Stansfield’s vocals not “matching” her image, whatever that means. In reality, one only has to scratch the surface to see that “northern” or “blue-eyed” soul actually has a long standing history in the U.K. Even in Australia, blues/pop singer Renée Geyer was breaking ground with her version of blue-eyed soul back in the ‘70s, something which ultimately began in the ‘60s with British and North American singers like Timi Yuro, The Righteous Brothers, Dusty Springfield, Kiki Dee and of course the legendary Teena Marie. All of whom drew inspiration from the sounds of Motown and R&B which heavily influenced their musical style and at times, even their vocals.

Lisa Stansfield was no different. Having spoken of the heavy musical influences throughout her childhood in Northern England with the likes of Barry White (with whom she would later go on to record), Diana Ross, Marvin Gaye and of course the Queen of Soul herself, Aretha Franklin, it was inevitable that these soulful influences would permeate throughout her music. Although heavy on the dance/house vibes, Affection is, for all intents and purposes, an incredibly soulful record, a feat that many pop artists with powerful voices fail to achieve. Stansfield smashed it out of the park with Affection, whilst still maintaining that distinct production style that defined the turn of the decade from the ‘80s to the ‘90s.

Although this was Stansfield’s debut album, there was a strong sense of self-awareness, her vocal phrasing and various stylistic influences coupled with an undeniably British coolness, all of which produced a sound that was quintessentially hers. With the original release in 1989 consisting of thirteen tracks and five of these being released as singles, Stansfield ensured she covered all bases. Whether it was the sultry and heartbreakingly beautiful “All Around The World,” ‘70s inspired soul of “Live Together,” the R&B inspired “You Can’t Deny It” or more upbeat offerings like “This Is The Right Time” and “What Did I Do To You,” Affection had something for everyone. And these were just the singles.

Embodying the notion of inspiration over imitation, standout tracks like “Mighty Love”—which opens with Stansfield making her declaration for “Mighty Love” followed closely by a spoken intro and violins that echo an almost Chaka Khan-like “I’m Every Woman” feel—are done with the utmost respect without overstepping the mark, something Stansfield seems to straddle so well. “Sincerity” and the album’s title track “Affection” continue beautifully with the R&B homage that plays throughout the album, while the album’s closing track “The Way You Want It” is a delicious blend of dance meets soul, which ultimately highlights the cross section of this brilliant album.

Affection defined an incredibly important coming-of-age moment for me, both musically and on a more personal level too. Lisa Stansfield stood out of the crowd for so many reasons, but she never stood out for the wrong ones. Affection is a prime example of this, standing out without being pretentious, or at worst, being yet another blatant, derivative rip-off trying to emulate something that will never be. Stansfield was—and still very much is—an originator and Affection, whilst clearly having been influenced by other artists and genres, is unequivocally one of the greatest original debuts to have ever been released.

Thirty years later and Affection still stands the test of time.

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