Time, Love & Tenderness
Michael Bolton · 1991
44 min · 10 tracks · pop rock
A lush blend of heartfelt ballads and powerful anthems, showcasing soaring vocals over rich instrumentation.
Top tracks — play these first
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Love Is a Wonderful Thing Start here — This track combines uplifting lyrics with Bolton's powerful delivery, capturing the essence of love while becoming a hit single that resonated widely.
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When a Man Loves a Woman — Bolton's rendition of this classic soul ballad showcases his vocal prowess and emotional depth, breathing new life into a timeless narrative of devotion.
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Time, Love and Tenderness — The title track stands out for its sweeping orchestration and poignant lyrics, embodying the album's themes of love and emotional connection.
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Missing You Now — This duet with Kenny G highlights Bolton’s ability to convey deep emotion through music, blending saxophone melodies with heartfelt vocals.
Elevation
Our rating, out of 100 — and why.
AI-generated from five scored dimensions. An opinion, not a measurement.
The album showcases strong vocal performances and orchestration but follows familiar pop-rock structures.
What we noticed
- The album features a consistent use of orchestral strings and piano across most tracks, creating a lush backdrop for Bolton's vocals.
- Several tracks include key changes that elevate the emotional intensity, particularly in the choruses.
- The pacing varies significantly, with ballads dominating the first half and more upbeat tracks appearing towards the end.
- Composition 25% of the score
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6/10
- Craft 20% of the score
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7/10
- Durability 25% of the score
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5/10
- Distinctiveness 18% of the score
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5/10
- Sequencing 12% of the score
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6/10
the writing — melody, harmony, structure, lyrics
production, performance, arrangement
whether it rewards returning to it
whether it sounds like itself
running order, pacing, length
Significant within its genre. 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
- heartfelt emotional reflections
- late-night contemplative moods
- steady, consistent energy levels
- warm, soothing background ambiance
Where this album fits
- In the catalog
- Breakthrough — This album solidified Bolton's status as a pop-rock powerhouse after earlier successes.
- Career context
- Released on April 23, 1991, 'Time, Love & Tenderness' was Michael Bolton's fifth studio album, solidifying his status as a pop-rock powerhouse following the success of his previous album, 'Soul Provider.' This record marked a peak in Bolton's career, culminating in multiple chart-topping hits and widespread acclaim.
- Stylistic neighbors
- Kenny Rogers· Richard Marx· Bryan Adams
Tracklist
- 1 Love Is a Wonderful Thing Start here 4:44
- 2 Time, Love and Tenderness 5:31
- 3 Missing You Now 4:33
- 4 Forever Isn’t Long Enough 4:33
- 5 Now That I Found You 4:33
- 6 When a Man Loves a Woman 3:52
- 7 We’re Not Makin’ Love Anymore 4:41
- 8 New Love 4:32
- 9 Save Me 4:22
- 10 Steel Bars 3:29
Reference: Wikipedia · MusicBrainz · Wikidata
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