jcjeff@ihlpg.UUCP (jeffreys) (04/15/85)
> Does anyone care to review Joan Armatrading's "Secret Secrets"? > > _______________________Bert S.F. Lo (lo@harvard.ARPA)_______________________ ********************************************************* Secret Secrets - Joan Armatrading (A&M Records - SP-5040) ********************************************************* Yet another fine album from Joan, but it was really no surprise, as if you've liked what she has done in the past, you'll be more than happy with this one. I've only had my copy of the album long enough to listen to it a few times, but every time I hear it, it gets even better and better. I find that a lot of albums have one or two (or more) bum tracks on them just to make up the extra space that is left after the one or two good tracks, that have been released as singles, have been put down. This is not the case with this album, each track stands on its own, and is definitely not there just to make up the numbers. As per usual the songs on the album are about love and its associated emotions. Because Joan writes all her own music, she is able to put all the feeling and emotion of the words into the songs, and she does this extremely well. As for "Secret Secrets", all in all a very good album. I still need to give it a few more times on the turntable, but at the moment it's not quite another "Walk Under Ladders", which, in my opinion is her best. Secret Secrets is not that far off though. The lyrics are included on the inner sleeve. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Secret Secrets ************** Side One -------- Persona Grata 4:44 Temptation 4:03 Moves 4:12 Talking To The Wall 4:31 Love By You 3:13 Side Two -------- Thinking Man 4:05 Friends Not Lovers 4:00 One Night 4:59 Secret Secrets 3:28 Strange 4:07 All songs written and arranged by Joan Armatrading. Recorded at Battery Studios. Produced by Mike Howlett. Available on Compact Disc and BASF Chrome Cassette. (C) 1985 A&M Records, Inc. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ -- [ You called all the way from America - Joan Armatrading ] [ You're never alone with a rubber duck - Hitchhikers Guide To The Galaxy ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ || From the keys of Richard Jeffreys ( British Citizen Overseas ) || || employed by North American Philips Corporation || || @ AT&T Bell Laboratories, Naperville, Illinois || ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ || General disclaimer about anything and everything that I may have typed || ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
dlb@stcvax.UUCP (David Black) (04/19/85)
First let me state my credentials: I've been a Joan Armatrading fan since I first heard "Down to Zero" about 10 years ago, but her recent records just haven't been very satisfying. I couldn't put words to it until I read the following phrase about a different person, in a similar situation: "... having found an identifiable voice, [she] is now imitating it." I think that the real problem is that Joan Armatrading's songs now sound formulaic. It's true, it's her formula, but there is nothing new or surprising or even, it seems, heartfelt about the songs on this album and that's really disappointing. Those of you who like this album, tell me what makes it special. David Black