On her early '80s albums for
Polydor
,
Jackson
was able to make up for what she lacked in vocal talent with an energetic, youthful approach to the music -- in part inspired by able, live backing musicians. As the '80s rolled on and synthesizer arrangements became the standard, however, she seemed to lose that touch. Tracks here like
"On a Night Like This"
and
"Baby Sister"
are too cute and overdone to be taken seriously. And
"Love Talk"
is a weak attempt at being a midnight-hour, come-hither slow jam. The album's lone notable track is the catchy
"How Do I Tell Them,"
which, with its instantly memorable chorus and gripping rhythmic structure, is hard to resist. Otherwise, it's mostly disposable material. ~ Justin M. Kantor