I enjoy this record a lot. When I first heard it (back in 1982) I remember comparing it to Penguin and Heroes (which I already owned). I recall thinking some of the raw spark from Penguin was missing but none of the studio murkiness from Heroes was there. In all, I thought it was good: not great.
As I got older, I returned to the record and thought quite differently. At least half of the album is excellent. The rest is good--not exceptional. To my ears, only "For Your Love" and "The City" are genuine duds.
Here's my breakdown:
Excellent: Emerald Eyes, Believe Me, Hypnotized, Keep on Going, Miles Away, and Why
Good: Just Crazy Love, Forever, Somebody, and The Way I Feel
My favorite moments of the record are when Christine backs Bob Welch vocally on his tunes. "Hypnotized" is a classic in large part BECAUSE of her presence on that song. Her harmonies on "Emerald Eyes" are amazing. Her lead vocal on his "Keep on Going" is a revelation.
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