Corey Hart
It would be easy to believe that many modern pop producers have a deep-seated distrust of singers. They are the ones who apparently feel that their vocalists are so talentless they have to introduce gauzy echo effects and overblown orchestration to distract listeners. Corey Hart's co-producer, Phil Chapman, who also worked with Marilyn Martin, seems to fall into this category. That's a shame because Hart has the kind of voice deserving more than a bit part. At scattered moments, Hart's plaintive glissandos, backed by synthesized strings and a halting beat, capture the same kind of brooding, introspective atmosphere found in his 1985 hit Never Surrender. When his lyrics can be heard, they articulate a flood of vague fears about being misunderstood or express anger toward the mess the powers that be have made of the world. He takes a real lead role in only one cut on this LP, a cover of Elvis Presley's Can't Help Falling in Love. Hart infuses that 1962 ballad with a uniquely personal interpretation that stands up to Elvis' already worthy version. Not only can you hear Hart's voice out front where it belongs, but you can actually hear what he's saying. It's discouraging that only that track and three catchy, hard-edge rockers punched up by saxophonist Andy Hamilton offer a break from the heavyhearted mood Chapman and Hart impose on the rest of the LP. (EMI)
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