Saturday 6 April 2024

Leo Sayer - LEO SAYER***

Stormy Weather/Dancing The Night Away/I Can't Stop Loving You/La Booga Rooga/Raining In My Heart/ Something Fine/Running To My Freedom/Frankie Lee/Don't Look Away/No Looking Back

A belated eponymous album from singer songwriter Leo Sayer given that he was coming to the end of his commercial success. Highlight is the impressive UK top ten hit I Can’t Stop Loving You. (US:101 UK:15)

“It's rather good, well apart from one or two tracks, and catches Leo a little after the excesses of his disco phase, the best songs being the more understated ones.”

“The album Leo Sayer combines gorgeous ballads, country sounds, rock and even a track co-written with Ghostbusters songwriter Ray Parker Jr.”

“His eponymous Leo Sayer album is less than good. Dancing The Night Away was fairly average as a single, though still good. I Can’t Stop Loving You was also good, but seemed to be going too MOR for my liking. The rest of the tracks are below par apart from the brilliant Frankie Lee.”

“Leo Sayer brings together just about everything, great lyrics, musicians and songs. The album has a strong country-folk feel although at times it diverts into rock and funk. A truly diverse album which shows Leo at the height of his career and talent.”

“Once upon a time Leo ruled the world. He was truly one of Britain’s finest exports and If you take a listen or two to this album you may understand why.”

“The songs are well-crafted, the musicianship is excellent and Leo's voice is on top form. He really was quite an under-rated talent.”

“Though I much prefer listening to Sayer performing his own material, this effort is the most tasteful of his cover oriented albums. It's consistent, varied, intimate and smooth, but unable to reach the heights of his early albums. He's at his best dealing with the more reflective material. The rock songs are above average though earthy rather than exciting. There are also the hit ballads which sugar the proceedings, though whether we need another Buddy Holly cover is debatable.”

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