Bonnie Tyler
The Welsh-born Tyler has been all but invisible, not to mention inaudible, since her 1978 hit It's a Heartache. But at least one song on this album was worth waiting for. Written by Meat Loaf collaborator Jim Steinman and helped with a strong backup vocal by another Loaf crony, Rory Dodd, Total Eclipse of the Heart is seven minutes of carefully crafted pop music. It has articulate lyrics ("Your love is like a shadow on me all the time"), an intricate arrangement and a spirited performance by Tyler. She revives the old Creedence Clearwater Revival tune Have You Ever Seen the Rain? to excellent effect, too. While her Rod Stewart-Kim Carnes voice can be abrasive, it can also add a plaintive quality to a down-tempo track such as Frankie Miller's Tears.
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