"Minute By Minute", originally released in December of 1978, was the third official studio album from the Doobie Brothers with Michael McDonald as a member of the band, & clearly, the third time was the charm, both artistically as well as commercially--although the previous two albums certainly weren't without solid commercial success in the US, this one was a bonafide blockbuster, topping the US charts & having gone platinum within the first four months of its original release & having gone triple-platinum by 1985. I think the report of the band being dissatisfied with this album can be attributed to the band feeling emotionally drained at the time; the sessions for "Minute By Minute" weren't exactly smooth sailing--in the booklet for the Rhino "Greatest Hits" CD, Michael McDonald recalls how the band did countless takes just for "What A Fool Believes" alone and that they "almost gave up".

Without a doubt, the huge success of this album was truly deserved. It's really amazing how much better of an album "Minute By Minute" is compared to the first two Doobies' albums with McDonald--1976's "Takin' It To The Streets" and 1977's "Livin' On The Fault Line" respectively. Although respectable albums, the Doobies sound rather burnt out on "...Streets" and "...Fault Line" and often seem to be coasting on their instrumental chops to try and mask a lack of quality songwriting. With "Minute By Minute", energy and enthusiasm are back in a big way--it's like the band suddenly got a second wind.

Michael McDonald's gasping, soulful vocals here pack a major wallop & are simply infectious, & he handles the lead vocals on a handful of classic tracks from this album. And of course, McDonald was one damn impressive composer as well--his album opening solo composition, the heavily syncopated "Here To Love You", is one of his characteristic "soulful rants" as I like to call them, & it's an irresistible, uplifting feel-good tune. "What A Fool Believes" was a huge hit, and with its crisp beat, rich & soaring harmonies, clever and incisive love lyrics, the sly key change on the chorus, & the extreme melodic catchiness, it's a total classic--it's true that you've probably heard it time & time again simply by being out in public, so certain listeners are, sadly, perhaps sick of it, but there's no denying the brilliance of it. The jazzy, arrestingly hushed & moody title track is also classic hit. "Open Your Eyes", with its pleading minor-keyed verses and extreme catchiness, is also a gem, and don't forget about the grooving album closer "How Do The Fools Survive?".

The greatness doesn't stop there. On the previous album, it was as if the band was either afraid to rock out or had forgotten how to do so, but they come gloriously roaring back in that department with Patrick Simmons' enthusiastic bluesy rocker "Don't Stop To Watch The Wheels", an irresistible song with a super fun guitar line and cool atmospheric stuff going on as well. Plus, "Dependin' On You" is a fun feel-good tune; "Streamer Lane Breakdown" is a solid, country-flavored instrumental; & the minor-keyed "You Never Change", though a bit slight, is another piece of arrestingly catchy material. The quasi-ballad "Sweet Feelin'", with vocals from Nicolette Larson, is rather fluffish, but it's still catchy, under 3 minutes long, & nicely enjoyable.

In the end, "Minute By Minute" is simply a terrific and timeless album.

"Love" being the predominant theme of the ten songs that make up this CD, Minute by Minute is a milestone work for the Doobie Brothers, and provides the listener with an audio snapshot of a rock band in a period of unsurpassed, creative excellence.

Beginning on the first track with an urgent, precission drum beat that commands attention, and ending on the tenth track with a never-to-be-equaled, 1-take, studio guitar solo, Minute by Minute is a masterpiece.

Winning Record Of The Year at the 22nd Annual GRAMMY awards in 1979, the Doobie Brothers/Minute by Minute also won GRAMMY awards for Best Pop Vocal Performance By A Duo, Group Or Chorus, Best Arrangement Accompanying Vocals (Michael McDonald: Arranging "What A Fool Believes"), Song Of The Year (Michael McDonald & Kenny Loggins: "What A Fool Believes").

When Jazz guitar great Larry Carlton covered an instrumental version of the song Minute by Minute, on his album "Discovery", he thanked Michael McDonald in the liner notes for providing "the real thing." That is, he had access to the best keyboard players in the business, but no one could play it with as much soul and feeling as Michael does. And feeling, and emotion, and soul, and spirit, are all driving forces behind this CD.

This is the Doobie Brothers at their very best, and they'll never top this moment in their recording history. Singer/sonwriter Bob Seger expressed a similar situation, when referring to The Eagles trying to out-do "Hotel California", or when Seger, himself tried to top "Night Moves", you just have to accept the fact that you've reached such a high summit of achievement, and notoriety, and rising above that point, for the Doobie Brothers, is insurmountable.

The album features: Michael McDonald keyboards, synthesizers, vocals/ Patrick Simmons guitars, vocals/ Jeff Baxter guitars/ Tiran Porter bass, vocals/ Keith Knudsen drums, vocals/ John Hartman drums/ Bobby LaKind congas, vocals/ Tommy Johnston vocals.

Along with help from friends: Kenny Loggins, Nicolette Larson, Billy Payne, Carole Bayer Sager, Lester Abrams, Norton Buffalo, Rosemary Butler, etc.

This album ended up being a seminal pop recording, prefacing the pop/fusion of the 80's. Even so, Minute by Minute's quality, though tremendous, was even lost on the band members after the long hours spent recording it. Perhaps it was the unprecented length of time it took to record it, but the band thought it didn't work. Imagine their surprise at the phenomenon it turned into.

Anti-Mike McDonald Doobie fans like the one reviewer on this page don't stop to consider that each of the Tom Johnston Doobie albums each were an evolution themselves. Stampede, the last pre-McDonald recording, featured an eclectic blend of tunes that, while guitar-based, still had elements like the Condoli brothers playing jazz trumpet licks on Pat Simmons' "I Cheat the Hangman." And, if anyone wants to blame someone for Tom Johnston's departure, blame Tom: he got sick from hard living, and the band would have broken up without Skunk Baxter's idea to bring ex-Steely Dan mate McDonald aboard to save a big concert tour.

The best pre-McDonald Doobie work featured Bill Payne's (Little Feat) keyboard playing anyway, so McDonald's arrival on the scene was not that out of character. But they didn't know McDonald's awesome voice and musical ability would take over the band. Good thing it did: it gave the band new life, which extends to the present day.

As a jazz pianist and classical composer I was immediately struck with the wonderful rhythmic and harmonic concepts of this group. After all the years since the release of the original recording, my initial reaction to this music has proven valid--that this material would become classic and its contribution to future pop music would be substantial.
Negative reviews to the Michael MacDonald-era Doobie Brothers material are certainly not conceived from a sophisticated musical concept--I know that most listeners don't absorb music this way--but the complex texture of sound brought about by rich, beautiful harmonic changes and strong compound-meter rhythms-- as well as an exceptional emotional outpouring-- are wonderful elements presented in this CD and by this group in general. These qualities certainly appeal to a more artistically aware listener.
Early Doobie material was more simplistic and less original than the later work. This does not mean that the product was not worthy; it just means that the uniqueness of the more advanced musical elements mentioned above have given this music a lasting immortality that the earlier product will have a hard time matching.
As an artist with 40 years experience in writing and performance, I can enthusiastically recommend this record. It is packed with great melodic, lyrical, harmonic, and rhythmic content. It has the power to overwhelm a listener with beauty and emotion; pick up this record, and be moved!

Man, where should I start here? I've always loved this album. I had it on vinyl when it first came out and it's still one of my favorite albums by anyone.

It kicks off great with Here To Love You and ends great with How Do The Fools Survive. In between are classic hit songs like What A Fool Believes, Minute By Minute, and Depending On You. There are also great unknown songs like Sweet Feelin' and You Never Change. My least favorite song on here is Don't Stop To Watch The Wheels - and even that one is still a pretty decent song.

There's not a bad tune on here. The popularity and awards for this album were VERY well-deserved!