Jackie - Jackie DeShannon

Jackie
Jackie DeShannon
Atlantic  SD  7231
1972

My favorite of DeShannon's post-Imperial albums.  Her recording for Atlantic prompted my hope for a Jackie "Dusty In Memphis" type classic, but this record falls short, not much of a radical departure from DeShannon's classic sound, a bit more soulful for sure, but there isn't much here that would sound out of place on "To Be Free" or "Laurel Canyon."  DeShannon only contributed 4 songs, but 3 of them are among the best songs on the record:  "Vanilla 'Olay" should have been a hit, "Laid Back Days" is the rockinest song on the album and "Anna Karina" is a charming song that would be worthwhile for the song's subject alone.  The covers don't offer much.  I like her version of John Prine's "Paradise" mostly because I prefer her voice to his.  Her sweet genteel cover of Neil Young's "Only Love Can Break Your Heart" seems misguided to me and her pleasant version of Van Morrison's "I Wanna Roo You" is basically pointless - she can't sing better than him and her version offers nothing new.  All of the remaining songs are fine, sung tastefully with feeling but I've already forgotten most of them by the time the next song starts.  The record has a nice vibe as they used to say back in the 1970s and it sounds really good late at night.  I gave it a spin in the early afternoon and I got a little bored with it.  Recommended for Dusty Springfield fans who wish Dusty had stayed in Memphis.