Stephen Bishop (1976) ????????- LOST 70s GEMS

 Stephen Bishops' 1976 album, Careless, brought him to prominence mainly for the exceedingly good hit song On and On; which brought him some deserved fame, that along with his cameo in Animal House as the acoustic guitar wielding douche. While that hit embodied Yacht Rocks' best and worst tendencies with it's faux calypso beat, streamlined production but also caressing tenor, rock dynamism and a unique melody line. The album has a 'Boz Scaggs meets Michael McDonald' sound that struggles to stand out except for in his sweet melodies such as Sinking in an Ocean of Tears with it's slightly Sly Stone funk inflected vocals. 

 This was Soft Rock before it got too soft and luscious; with enough of a tough rhythm section, clear cutting production and grit in the lead vocals before the overproduced, lethargic, mellow mush the genre would devolve into [Ok, rant over]. Bishop's delicate falsetto sounds so pained and isn't powerful but at certain moments on records hits the spot with it' 'clear as birdsong' tone.

 Every Minute is dreamy,celestial folk song with sleepy vocals and Andrew Gold's spiralling guitar, Little Italy is an awesome song with it's mandolins dancing along with accordions and horns, while One More Night builds as a ballad traditionally should, with some warm, glowing keyboard lines in it. Save it for a Rainy Day was another hit but sounds to me too generic as do Rock and Roll Slave and The Same Old Tears On A New Background.

So ultimately Little Italy does it for me, listen to that opening folk guitar pattern, complex but entrancing while Bishops sharp RnB vocals balance well with the acoustic bed and watery mix of mandolin runs and reverbed congas and the aforementioned stark horn lines. Then there is Chaka Khan's stupendous second vocal and harmonies to boot; what's not like about this track buried deep in the middle of the album.