This album came out in 1987 and I'll be completely honest with you, I picked it up because Prince wrote the title track. That's right, folks, you heard me... Country Western singer Deborah Allen enlisted a song from Prince for her latest album. Absolutely shocking.
I guess from a certain standpoint it makes sense. Allen was experiencing some cross over success at the time and had seen some airplay on the Adult Contemporary charts. But that hardly justifies what happens on this record. Under the right circumstances, Prince could'be contributed a strong R&B ballad for her and she might've had a hit with it. Instead, he sends along this funk jam that seems out of place on her record. If she'd had more funky sounds on this record, she could've pulled it off no problem, but the rest of the album fits solidly in the same Country Western/Adult Contemporary she'd gained recognition for on previous releases.
I remember rocking this album out on cassette and feeling sorta stupid because I loved the second track on the record, 'You Can't Say No'. Of course at the time, I didn't like anything that wasn't part of the musical world I'd built around myself. Oldies were a joke and hair bands were ridiculous. I didn't gain an appreciation for any of these groups until much later.
It would stand to reason, based on who Deborah Allen was, that I wouldn't listen to the rest of her record, but I did. And let me tell ya, Allen wasn't a joke.
When I got this disc in the mail, I put it in the truck and went for a long drive. I wanted to remember the entire disc and I wasn't disappointed. Surprisingly, the tracks on this album might sound a little dated today, but they're lyrically strong and have interesting musical ideas that keep the listener engaged. 'You're The Kind Of Trouble', 'One Step Closer' and 'What's Right Tonight' are all excellent examples of the country rock Allen delivers. They're infectious, fun to sing along with and catchy as all get out.
The one song I could probably write anything negative about would be 'You Can Tell Me Anything'. And I would only say that because I feel like the sentiment expressed here is slightly overused and unimaginative. Musically, it's the least exciting of the bunch and doesn't really move the record along. Otherwise, the album is strong and tight.
'Telepathy' is Prince at his finest and this song deserves to be on a Prince record surrounded by tracks that compliment it. Here, it sticks out like a sore thumb. To her credit, Allen didn't change anything from the master recording Prince sent her with the exception of her vocals. His signature sound is absolutely bursting with purple power, but it still feels out of place. Even Allen's vocal delivery, which she does her best to deliver, falls flat against the onslaught of his funk.
I think the record sounds better if you listen to it starting with track 2. 'You Can't Say No' is truly a sleeper hit. I think if she'd released it as a single, it would've done well.
This is a musical mismatch, but at the same time, you have to give both Prince and Allen credit for making the attempt to bridge such musical divides. Oddly enough, I think Prince could've easily written a song in the style Allen was performing, but he didn't. And we'll never know why.
This album was originally released on Cassette and Vinyl. It didn't get a CD release so I'm extremely happy to find it now. The track, 'Telepathy' was released on CD by Allen many years later in the form of an edit on her Greatest Hits compilation. As grateful as I was then to have a copy of the song on CD, I'm even more happy to have it here in its full glory. This is definitely an excellent addition to any Prince collection and to any Deborah Allen collection. Get it while you can.
My final words: AN OUT OF PLACE SPICY TRACK ON A TRULY DECENT COUNTRY RECORD!
DEBORAH ALLEN - TELEPATHY
01. Telepathy
02. You Can't Say No
03. You're The Kind Of Trouble
04. One Step Closer
05. Don't You Think I Don't Love You
06. What's Right Tonight
07. Take A Picture
08. You Can Tell Me Anything
09. Somebody For Everybody
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