| The Call Is Strong | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Studio album by | |
| Released | January 1991 |
| Recorded | 1990 |
| Studio |
|
| Genre | |
| Length | 45:09 |
| Label |
|
| Producer | Smith & Mighty |
| Singles from The Call Is Strong | |
| |
The Call Is Strong is the only album by Bristolian soul singer Carlton, released by FFRR Records in January 1991. Produced by Smith & Mighty, the album explores a relaxed style of soul and dance music flavoured by reggae, hip hop and house, featuring prominent electronic beats and sine bass, while Carlton sings love songs in falsetto. Recording sessions in London were fractious due to creative disagreements between Smith & Mighty and the label.
On release, The Call Is Strong was commercially unsuccessful, but featured three charting singles, including the minor hit "Love and Pain". Music critics drew attention to the album's distinctive sound and production, which received comparisons to Soul II Soul. The album has gone on to be considered among the greatest "lost" albums in British soul and the Bristol underground scene, and was named among the best albums of the 1990s by Fact.