Lee Ritenour - Rit (1981)

Artist:  Lee Ritenour
Title:  Rit
Release:  1981
Format:  LP
Label:  Elektra Records
Catalog#  ELK 52273

Session ace Lee Ritenour once more employs the cream of L.A.’s studio crop to come up with a drab, utterly unimaginative slab of nondescript pop. With guest vocalists like Eric Tagg and Bill Champlin (who also contribute as composers), Ritenour and his cohorts among them Jeff Porcaro, Harvey Mason, David Foster, Alex Acuña, and Richard Tee craft a pristine sonic foray into early-’80s production styles without a memorable song in ten. This is especially exasperating considering that Ritenour had the audacity to cover Sly Stone’s “(You Caught Me) Smilin'” and murder it. Simply lifeless and dreadful.
This album features a combination of fine guitar work, vocals and production values. Mr. Briefcase is a finely crafted piece of jazz-pop with lyrics that matter. There are many great songs on this record. It may be out of print and hard to find, but do yourself the favor of acquiring this album in some form. Ritenour’s work before and after “Rit” was decidedly jazzier, which might cause some to say this record is not representative. Whatever. This is a great collection of songs.


Side one
1.  Mr. Briefcase  (3:20)
2.  (Just) Tell Me Pretty Lies  (4:13)
3.  No Sympathy  (4:43)
4.  Is It You?  (4:25)
5.  Dreamwalk  (1:43)

Side two
1.  Countdown (Captain Fingers)  (4:21)
2.  Good Question  (3:41)
3.  (You Caught Me) Smilin´  (4:08)
4 . On The Slow Glide  (4:10)
5.  No Sympathy (Reprise)  (1:56)

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