While it's no
"Seventh Heaven"
and not quite on the level of
"It Should Have Been You,"
Gwen Guthrie
's self-produced
"Outside in the Rain"
is one of the sleekest, leanest tracks of its time and perfectly complements other 808-built singles like
52nd Street
's
"Tell Me (How It Feels)"
and
Loose Ends
' immortal
"Hangin' on a String (Contemplating)."
It's probably the most known track on the fifth volume of
PTG
Masterpiece
, a series of mostly obscure post-disco R&B released during the '80s. And for the sake of this particular disc, we're often talking hyper-obscure, with several tracks known only by the most avid collectors and DJs:
"Freak in Me"
from
Dante
(with some
Patrick Adams
-like synthesizer squiggles),
"Closet Freak"
Videeo
(oddball neo-
Cameo
/
Prince
synth funk),
"Velocity"
Kopper
(who had one charting club hit, but not with this one). Here's where the series begins its allegiance with Chicago house vet
Frankie Rodriguez
, who provides the occasional mix and edit throughout the remaining volumes. As with all other tracks he handles for
,
Dayton
"Out Tonight"
Mark Fisher
"Love Situation"
(featuring
Dotty Green
, who shows up solo on
Nighttime Lovers, Vol. 9
) are given sensitive retouchings. Other notables:
Roy Ayers
'
James Mtume
-produced
"Slip 'n Slide"
(number 49 R&B, 1985), and
Take Three
's low-profile but rather dazzling
"Tonight's the Night (All Right),"
produced by
Atmosfear
Light of the World
keyboardist
Peter Hinds
. ~ Andy Kellman