Melissa Manchester

by Charles DonovanMelissa Manchester's creative contributions to her own records were on the wane, but here she managed to assert her identity by writing six of the ten tracks -- each one a good bit better than the lame ballad and disco fodder that made up the balance. "Whenever I Call You Friend," a hit the year before for Stevie Nicks and Kenny Loggins (the song's co-writer), is a far more supple, elegant song in Manchester's capable hands. "Lights of Dawn" finds her doing what she did best all along: accompanying herself on the piano, free of the overwrought, fussy production that threatens to mar the rest of this album, and delivering one of her most powerful, melodic and direct compositions. None of this mattered, unfortunately -- Arista decided to show its support by pushing only the material by outside writers, and none of Manchester's inspired originals were released as singles. [The album was also released with bonus tracks.]