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When this album came out, in the middle of the punk and disco booms,
it seemed like a breath of fresh air, a stomping mix of heavy metal and
soul, filled with engaging originals by Reid and spiced by heavy-handed
but bracing versions of harmony-based numbers like "Baby I Love You,"
"Then I Kissed Her," "Walk Away Renee," and "All
I Have To Do Is Dream." Today, they don't hold up so well, and the
album seems a bit over-the-top, overdone, and excessive. Doug Rodrigues
and Reid share guitar chores, and the best parts of their playing are
the softest moments. The backing vocals by Denise Williams, Dyanne Chandler,
and Maxine Willard are often ravishing, and Reid's singing is as powerful
as ever -- it all just seems a bit arch and artificial, perhaps because
of the way-too-close bass and drum sound, and the too-heavy guitar; that
works for blues, as Led Zeppelin proved most of the time, but it makes
for some distinctly unsubtle R&B.
(by Bruce Eder, All
Music Guide)
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