Somewhere in My Lifetime
Phyllis Hyman · 1979
42 min · 10 tracks · jazz
A lush blend of soul and jazz, enveloping listeners in Phyllis Hyman's rich, emotive vocal performances.
Top tracks — play these first
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Kiss You All Over — This track showcases Hyman's powerful vocals and became a major hit, exemplifying the album's blend of soulful melodies and catchy hooks.
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Living Inside Your Love — A standout ballad that highlights Hyman's ability to convey deep emotion, featuring lush instrumentation that complements her vocal prowess beautifully.
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Somewhere in My Lifetime — The title track encapsulates the album's themes of love and longing, with Hyman’s expressive delivery bringing poignancy to its reflective lyrics.
Elevation
Our rating, out of 100 — and why.
AI-generated from five scored dimensions. An opinion, not a measurement.
The album showcases strong vocals and lush arrangements but lacks standout compositions across all tracks.
What we noticed
- The album opens with a strong, upbeat track that sets a lively tone, followed by several mid-tempo songs that explore themes of love and longing.
- Hyman's vocal delivery is prominent throughout, often layered with lush instrumental arrangements that include strings and horns.
- The final track features a shift in mood, slowing down the tempo and introducing a more introspective feel, contrasting with the earlier tracks.
- Composition 25% of the score
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7/10
- Craft 20% of the score
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8/10
- Durability 25% of the score
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6/10
- Distinctiveness 18% of the score
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6/10
- Sequencing 12% of the score
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7/10
the writing — melody, harmony, structure, lyrics
production, performance, arrangement
whether it rewards returning to it
whether it sounds like itself
running order, pacing, length
Known within its scene. Reported but not counted — how far a record travelled describes its reception rather than the record, and a newer release has had less time to travel than an older one.
Is this for you?
Good fit if you like
- steady mid-tempo groove throughout
- lush vocals for emotional connection
- for intimate evenings
- smooth melodies for relaxation
Maybe skip if you
- seeking high-energy tracks
- prefer standalone singles only
Where this album fits
- Career context
- Released in early 1979, Somewhere in My Lifetime was Phyllis Hyman's second studio album, following her self-titled debut. At this point, she was transitioning from relative obscurity to becoming a prominent voice in the soul and R&B genres.
- Stylistic neighbors
- Angela Bofill· Lalah Hathaway· Chaka Khan
Tracklist
Best experienced from track one — press play and let it unfold.
- 1 Kiss You All Over 5:10
- 2 Somewhere in My Lifetime 3:30
- 3 Lookin’ for a Lovin’ 2:56
- 4 The Answer Is You 5:07
- 5 So Strange 4:39
- 6 Gonna Make Changes 3:56
- 7 Living Inside Your Love 6:17
- 8 Be Careful (How You Treat My Love) 4:15
- 9 Soon Come Again 3:33
- 10 Here’s That Rainy Day 2:45
Reference: Wikipedia · MusicBrainz · Wikidata
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