I did indeed date a klepto in my day. Two words: Free ****

https://quoteinvestigator.com/2013/03/06/artists-steal/

I have a love/meh reaction to Shawn Lee's music. I think he's an exceptionally talented musician/songwriter/arranger/producer with some great stuff like 'World of Funk' (my pick for round 1 of the album club) and some rather well made but forgettable albums that drift in one ear and out the other without sticking in my mind. This album is very well done all around and perfectly captures the 70's sound of radio-friendly soft-rock groups like Hall & Oats, Seals & Crofts, The Doobie Brothers and more ( I even heard some Captain & Tennille influences) but it just didn't grab me or thrill me. Overall, it sounds like top 40 music from the 70's that you would often hear on the radio, while you were in a car or at the beach (for example) without bothering to pay much attention to it while it played in the background.

I gave it a "like" because it really nails the top 40 soft-rock sound of that time so well and it's easy on the ears but it's not an album that I'll be adding to my collection any time soon.

6.5/10

But like the process of those top 40 tracks making their way into your consciousness was fun. This record gives us the chance to do it again and on our own terms.

Welcome to the Cruise and Sportscar are 1979 and 1980 respectively. I guess Ant is talking more Ritmo/I am the Phoenix/Shoot the Moonterritory.

I voted for liked it. Mostly because I only had time this week to listen to it once.

Any sort of familiarity with this album/artist, or are both entirely new to you? None at all
Expectations (if any): I expect to like this a lot, given what I've heard from others
Initial impression: Excellent, gives me a real Eagles/Seals and Crofts vibe
Favourite track(s): "You Can Feel It", "Long Way Back", "Better"
Least favourite track(s): "In My Pocket"
Overall impression: Kind of bored me in the end
Chances of listening to further material from this artist? Not terribly high
Rating (not mandatory): 6/10
Comments:
Wow. I had expected to like this a lot more than I ended up doing. I think it pins down the seventies Doobies/CSNY sound really well, and there are some good tracks, but about halfway through it just started to irritate me. Not quite sure why. Maybe it's because it tries so hard to be so seventies, and, well, it isn't. But I did manage only the one listen, so my opinion might change on further attempts to get into it.

Eh, 'Spiral' and 'Saturday' are both great songs. Latter's got that primetime Hall & Oates bounce that's a real bitch to capture, but these guys make it sound easy.