CHÉR SLBY 3081 (-66) UK

 Her third solo album, here collaborating with Harold Battiste (who also worked with Sam Cooke and Dr. John among others) and Sonny Bono, though only one of the songs here are by him - "I Feel Something In The Air" - the rest covering stuff from artists like Donovan, Dylan, Goffin/King, Paul Simon, Burt Bacharach and Buffy Sainte-Marie. It wasn't a big hit back then, only reaching #59 on Billboard and even less successful in the rest of the world. Listening today with mixed emotions. Bono's production, much inspired by Phil Spector, even if powerful still very dense and partly even muddy, at least to my ears. And even if it was brave to cover songs then still big hits with the original artists I can't hear she's adding much to them. On the plus side is her unique voice and the killer "Sunny", which makes it all worth it. So to my taste far from her best effort, yet with enough to make it a keeper. Issued and reissued on vinyl pretty much all over the world through the years. First US on Imperial in mono and stereo (9320/12320). French 2001 CD on EMI (5 31698 2) came with eight bonus tracks. First UK (also as mono LBY 3081) had label as shown here in a laminated flip/back cover. (FÄV*) (XLÄ*)