Search - Randy Crawford :: Permanent

Permanent class

WAYNE ALLAN DICKSON | Glasgow, Lanarkshire United Kingdom | 08/28/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Since parting company with Warner Bros in 1993, Randy Crawford has been enjoying a creative freedom courtesy of WEA Germany. Both Naked And True (1995) and Evey Kind Of Mood (1997) saw Randy return to her sophisticated Jazzy Soul roots of her first three albums while most of her contemporaries record albums with increasing smoooooooooothjazzzzzzz blandness. Released in Germany late last year, this album went under the title Play Mode in Europe. It's a more varied affair drawing on both Old Skool and more contemporary styles. The first Euro Single MERRY GO ROUND is a simple Adult Contemporary Ballad which although pretty enough, does not display the true genious of the album. That came in the second single PERMANENT, a rhythmic shuffler that allows Randy to scale both her fantastic lower and higher registers in the same way that she did on the classic DECLARATION OF LOVE from 1979's RAW SILK. Anyone who has ever watched a warm summer evening in an exotic location slowly burn into a hot summer night will melt at the sound of THE SWEETEST THING. The sort of track that until now, I used to say "They don't make them like that anymore!". WHEN THE EVENING COMES and her fantastic retro-disco cover of Stevie Wonder's ALL I DO are equally evocative. As far as the Dancier numbers go, the album's one weaker point is FIRE AND RAIN which strangely emulates the production style of Britney Spears' hits. For those who long for the Randy Crawford of ALMAZ or ONE DAY I'll FLY AWAY, Your prayers are well and truly answered with WHEN I GET OVER YOU which is as majestic as any Craig Armstrong or David Arnold arrangement. Here as with the opening cover of WILD IS THE WIND, Randy manages to create dramatic tension without losing so much as an ounce of her trademark subtlety. Her old US Label WARNER BROS obviously thought the album was strong enough to resign her. Permanent should take her back to the upper regions of the Jazz and R&B charts. Welcome home Randy!"

A beautiful work of art

J. Fulghum | Beeville, Texas United States | 02/27/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I had never heard of Randy Crawford until Christmas of 2001. I received a gift certificate from a department store and used it to buy Randy's CD titled "Permanent" and glad I did. She is AWESOME! What a beautiful work of art and a powerful, high octane vocal range she has. All the tracks in this CD are good from start to end. It was the best gift I received for Christmas that year. My personal favorites are "When I Get Over You", "Tell It To Your Heart", "Permanent", "Free The Child" and "Fire And Rain". If you like R&B, then I highly recommend you buy this cd. You will not regret you did."

"PERMANENTLY IN MY CD ROTATION..."

L. Kelsey | Riverside, CA. United States | 01/22/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"is the latest from Randy Crawford, one of my favorite vocalist. Randy is at her soulful best on such tracks as "Permanent," "Free the Child" and "Tell it to Your Heart." The two tracks that MOVE ME though are "Wild is the Wind" and "I Get a Little Burned." Both songs examine the emotions of being in love and no one expresses these better than Randy. From the opening strains of "Wild is the Wind," with Randy singing,"love me love me, say you do, let me fly away with you," I knew I was hooked. Nina Simone's version is a classic, but Randy pays homage with an excellent rendition of this song. This album is a WINNER!"