's solo debut was a letdown at the time of release, suffering in comparison with 's from the previous year, and shifting her style toward soul-rock in a way that disappointed some fans. Removed from that context, it sounds better today, though it's still flawed. Fronting the short-lived , the arrangements are horn heavy and the material soulful and bluesy. The band sounds a little stiff and although 's singing is good, she would sound more electrifying on various live versions of some of the songs. The shortage of quality original compositions -- indeed, there are only eight tracks total on the album -- didn't help either, and the cover selections were erratic, particularly ' "To Love Somebody." On the other hand, "Try" is one of her best soul outings, and the reading of 's "Little Girl Blue" is inspired. ~ Richie Unterberger