Matti P If you're into classic progressive rock, the first time you heard the vocals of RANDY CRAWFORD (b. 1952) might have been with the ex-Genesis guitarist Steve Hackett's second solo album Please Don't Touch! (1978) and its gorgeous ballad 'Hoping Love Will Last'. That was the case for me, around the age of 18. Sometime later I found a compilation CD of this American soul/ r&b vocalist, but I haven't much listened to her full albums.

It's a bit sad to notice she never became as popular or well known as she would have deserved, in my opinion. Perhaps she was too "easy listening" to seriously compete in the particular genre, and on the other hand, not mainstream enough for the big audience. The reception in Europe has been a bit warmer than in the USA. This is her fourth album which earned gold in Netherlands and silver in Great Britain, and one of the few occasions when she penetrated the American r&b markets.

The bulk of the album was co-written by keyboardist Joe Sample -- one its three producers -- and lyricist Will Jennings. Their 'Last Night At Danceland' is a nice but rather fogettable song with a lighthearted groove and jazzy playing especially on keyboards and rhythm section. The sweet & soft arrangement on 'Tender Falls the Rain' gets cheesy, but the ballad proves that Randy Crawford has a good sense of melody as a composer. 'My Heart Is Not As Young As It Used to Be' is quite similar to the opener. The groovy arrangement features strings and a trumpet solo. Side One is finished by the fresh-sounding title track. The strings that appear on most pieces give a slightly watered-down effect to the r&b album.

The B side is stronger. 'Blue Flame' (6:25) has energy in the playing, even the strings are effective on it. 'One Day I'll Fly Away' was Crawford's highest charting single, and the song has also been covered by several artists. The final Sample-Jennings tracks 'Same Old Story (Same Old Song)' and 'When Your Life Was Low' are both good, the first with a solid r&b groove and a brief sax solo, the latter being a peaceful, thoughtful slow-tempo song avoiding to be syrupy.

This is a good album in its own right, but if you're new to the artist or a casual listener, some kind of a "Best of" compilation is very likely more satisfying.