Crystal Gayle – “True Love”
Another for the “Ruined by Value Village” category, the record is mint and clean. The sleeve is VG- thanks to that wonderful little Value Village sticker. Now, Crystal Gayle is the younger sister of country music legend, Loretta Lynn – so, I do want to know if she sounds anything like her sister, because I do love me some Loretta. This record, along with my other two Crystal Gayle records, have been in my collection for quite some time and have never been on my turntable, so tonight I’m putting at least one on.
The A-Side opens with “Our Love is on the Faultline” – and we start with a good beat before Crystal’s vocals come in, and you know, she’s not bad. She’s got a very nice voice, and the chorus to this song is pretty good. This song was Crystal’s eleventh number one on the country music charts, holding that position for a week, and staying on the chart for another twelve. I like it. “Deeper in the Fire” continues this A-Side, and you know, we’ve kind of got this crossover country pop sound to the first two songs, and I am definitely enjoying this. “‘Til I Gain Control Again” comes next, and we slow down and go into more of that country ballad vibe with this one, it’s not quite as enjoyable as the first two songs, but Crystal does deliver a nice song, it also was her tenth number one. It’s another good song for sure though. “Baby What About You” and it’s another country ballad type, that is delivered a bit more up-tempo from the previous song, and once again it was another number one for Crystal, being her twelfth number one, and like the previous two, spent twelve weeks on the charts. “You Bring Out the Love In Me” closes out the A-Side, and it’s a pretty good song, it’s got some pretty nice basslines, and the chorus is great.
The B-Side opens with the title track, “True Love” and it’s got that pop sound to it, and the musicianship is good. It’s not the best song on the album so far, it’s not even one of the hit singles. We do go onto a cover of Bread’s “Everything I Own” and well, not a lot of people can hold a candle to the original version, so it’s not expected here. Crystal does do a nice version though. I kind of anticipated a bit more. “Let Your Feelings Show” comes next, and we go back to that country pop sound, and it’s a bit of a slower song, I’m not feeling the B-Side as much as I did the A-Side. “Easier Said Than Done” comes next, and it seems to be the best of the songs for far on the B-Side, it’s got a good beat and the musicianship is good. Harmony vocals too. We end the album with “He is Beautiful To Me” and it’s another one of the slower songs, and you know not my favorite way to end any album is with a slow song, but here we are. Her high notes are absolutely amazing though, kudos.
In the end, she sounds nothing like Loretta, but does have her own uniquely beautiful voice.
Catalog Number:
96 02001
Credits:
Produced by Allen Reynolds & Jimmy Bowen
Directed by Crystal Gayle
Recorded and Remixed by Curt Allen
Technical Assistance – John Donegan
Recorded and Mixed at Jack’s Tracks Recording Studio, Sound Stage Studio and Emerald Sound Studio, Nashville, TN
Engineers – Jimmy Bowen, Ron Treat & Joe Bogan
Second Engineer – J.T. Cantwell
Mastered by Glenn Meadows at Masterfonics, Nashville, TN
Violins – Carl Gorodetzky, George Binkley, Dennis Molchan, Walt Schwede, Pam VanOsdale, Lennie Haight, Stephanie Woolf, Virginia Christensen, Phyllis Hilts & Chris Teal
Violas – Marvin Chantry & Gary VanOsdale
Cellos – Roy Christensen & David Boyle
Bass – David Hungate, Tim Robb & Tommy Cogbill
Drums – James Stroud, Gene Chrisman & Tony Newman
Guitar – Bruce Dees, John Goin, Reggie Young, Chris Leuzinger & Larry Byrom
Harmony Vocals – Crystal Gayle, Kathy Burdick, Sheri Huffman, Paul Davis, Rodney Crowell, Bill Lamb, Roger Cook, Donna Sheridan, Hurshel Wiginton, Judy Rodman & Louis Nunley
Lead Guitar – Chris Leuzinger
Strings – The Nashville String Machine
Synthesizer – Shane Keister
Keyboards – Charles Cochran & Bobby Wood
Piano – Bobby Wood
Saxophone – Jay Patten
Released:
1982
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