This is a new reissue of a Tommy James album from 1990. James’ performances are great. The album on the other hand is just good. That’s because it’s very much a product of its era. During the 1980s there was a certain sound that became the trend. It had slick production, smooth jazz arrangements and a rhythm section that often sounded synthetic. I’m sure at the time some record executive was convinced that they’d have a huge hit by applying that kind of hit machine process to a rock star like Tommy James. Well, they forgot that James was a rock star – not some adult contemporary artist. So, the resulting album has a lot of songs that are definitely tied completely to that kind of 1980s sound. There are several pieces here that work pretty well, despite that. Additionally, some of these would be great if they were redone in a more traditional Tommy James format.

This review is available in book format (hardcover and paperback) in Music Street Journal: 2014  Volume 2 at lulu.com/strangesound.

There’s a real tropical vibe to the rhythm section on this cut. The whole mix makes me think of 1980s music in a lot of ways. This is good catchy fun.