THE LOVER IN ME (by Sheena Easton)

SUMMARY:                  RUNNING TIME: 48:00 Min.

In late 1988, MCA Records released Sheena Easton’s ninth studio album, with producing firepower from L.A. & Babyface (Tracks 1-3), Angela Winbush (Tracks 4 & 10), Jellybean (Tracks 5-7), and Prince (Tracks 8-9).  Among the promotional efforts for the album was Easton’s sex-driven MTV video for the title song. 

Courtesy of her recurring guest stint late in Season 4 of Miami Vice, Easton’s presence as ‘Caitlin Davies-Crockett’ further hyped the album.  Notably, she performed Track 3: “Follow My Rainbow” in her last Vice appearance.  

The ten tracks are:

                                                                Running Time:

SIDE ONE

1. “No Deposit, No Return”                              5:55
2. “The Lover in Me”                                        5:00
3. “Follow My Rainbow”                                   4:57
4. “Without You”                                             5:38
5. “If It’s Meant to Last”                                   4:09

SIDE TWO

6. “Days Like This”                                         5:09

7. “One Love”                                                 4:55

8. “101”                                                         4:06

9. “Cool Love”                                                4:04

10. “Fire and Rain”                                         5:58

REVIEW:

Evidently desperate for a Late 80’s makeover courting the MTV Generation, Sheena Easton trades her pop elegance for a sultry R&B sound that comes off, at best, as lukewarm.  The inherent weakness affecting The Lover in Me is Easton’s reliance upon far too many unremarkable tunes lacking any sense of artistic versatility.  More so, there is a credibility gap where her vocal classiness exceeds and doesn’t really mesh with the overt sex appeal/dance-pop material she is selling to listeners. 

Though Easton’s title track is enjoyable (as is “Days Like This”), the project’s standout is her soaring, gospel-like ballad, “Follow My Rainbow.”  Suffice to say, its poignancy is a welcome contrast, in terms of both depth and style, to the edgy, one-dimensional tracks trying too hard to be steamy (okay, even semi-trashy). 

As The Lover in Me is often a superficial and even monotonous album, Sheena Easton’s talents are squandered.  Still, at times, she makes a game effort trying to diversify her pop arsenal.  

PACKAGING:

The record cover lists the tracks, as well as acknowledging  the album’s high-profile producers.

BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING:              4½ Stars

Note: Easton’s serene duet with Prince entitled “The Arms of Orion” (appearing on 1989’s Batman movie soundtrack) is recommended.