Follow-up to the not so successful 1969 "Lulu's Album". For this she had left producer Mickie Most and the EMI contract to try on new things with the Atlantic team in America, not doubt inspired by her then husband BeeGee Maurice Gibb and probably also by Dusty Springfield who'd done the same journey a year or so earlier with her "Dusty In Memphis". And though not recorded at same location, but the newly finished Muscle Shoals studios in Alabama, she got the same top producers - Jerry Wexler, Tom Dowd and Arif Mardin. Add participation of the renowned Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section plus guitarists like Duane Allman and Cornell Dupree and you could anticipate something breathtaking. Maybe my expectations were too high, but to my ears there's nothing special going on here. I get uneven, partly overproduced and a Lulu that's mostly holding back rather than using her vocal strength. Don't know if that came from her trying a more mature output or she just being scared by the unfamiliar surroundings. In any case it don't hit me as I want. The cover of "Marley Purt Drive" is totally ok, not least as a reminder of a BeeGees highlight now almost forgotten. For the rest I dig when she can sing out at least a bit - like in Traffic's "Feelin' All Right" or the Fran Robins composition "Sweep Around Your Own Back Door" - reminding me of the old rockin' Lulu. As a whole a little too mainstream for me, but very well done if you want that sort and the audio on this US press is superduper, very good to the ears. UK on ATCO (228 031). 1970 issues also in Canada, Japan and a couple of European countries. Japan 2011 CD on ATCO (WQCP 1040). Premiere US had label as shown here thick vinyl and glossy cover. (FÄV*) (YZÄ*)(LÅL*)
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