RACHEL SWEET - Blame it on Love - (CBS) - 1982. pop, new wave.

Sex sells,

have pout will travel.

Pout; push one's lips or one's bottom lip forward as an expression of petulant annoyance or in order to make oneself look sexually attractive.

http://www.thefreedictionary.com/pout

Rachel Sweet had tons of talent but still, she was marketed as all young girls are in the music industry … through sex.

Here at the age of 20 she is, in many ways, no different to Britney Spears, Miley Cyrus or any other number of young nymphets who followed her. Where she is different, and it is a big difference is that had talent to match her sex appeal.

But, sex sells.

All of her albums (it seems) have a variety or pouts, snarls or parted lips. Now I have nothing against that as long as she is going along with it and making money for her efforts.

Here they have her looking like a brunette Traci Lords, but the music leaves a lot to be desired and the record didn't sell.

And, that's a pity because this girl can sing and has a great voice and a great ear for old sounds.

The relative failure of the last three albums which were full of updated retro 60s sounds sent her (or her record company) into a different direction, that of mature girl pop.

It was the 80s and the 20 somethings were starting to crowd the airwaves but the trouble is that this is not a s catchy as Cyndi Lauper or as dance-y as Madonna.

It is less dull than Sade though.

This direction was the wrong direction for Rachel.

That's an opinion.

Some people, addicted to everything in the 80s (I grew up in the 80s and there was a lot of shit mainstream music … a BIG lot) will love this, but for me, it is overproduced. And what's worse, a lot of this sounds clichéd … and some of the clichés were still new. Such is the disposability of pop that the saturation and turnaround from new to cliché is a blink away.

allmusic says, accurately: "Sweet is in great voice on these ten songs, but she rarely gets a chance to indulge in the hooky but emphatic rock that marked her best music; while she co-wrote and co-produced most of the album with Marc Blatte and Larry Gottlieb, the arrangements are often a mess of '80s pop clichés ("Cruisin' Love" being the worst offender), and the songs are overwrought and uncompelling. It's worth noting than one of the album's best moments, "Paralyzed," was one of two cuts written and produced by Sweet without Blatte and Gottlieb's assistance, which could suggest the album's greatest failing was a poor choice in collaborators, but that doesn't change the fact this was Sweet's weakest album"

http://www.allmusic.com/album/blame-it-on-love-mw0000887871

Even if Rachel had a hit with this album I'd still maintain this is not the direction for her as a a lot of those sounds haven't dated well.

She was much better served by her earlier label (the English label "Stiff") and those songs hold up better today.

Is a legacy important?

Of course it is.

I would prefer her to have kept mining the older sounds like she did on her first three albums and she would have come across more like The Go Gos, The Bangles or any number of retro 60s new wave chicks.

She can sing that stuff and on her writing she shows the smarts in understanding that sort of pop.

So perhaps Rachel's pout on the cover can be viewed differently:

Pout; To exhibit displeasure or disappointment; sulk.

http://www.thefreedictionary.com/pout

With exception of "Paralysed" and "American Girl" by Rachel Sweet alone all the other songs are by Rachel Sweet-Marc Blatte – Larry Gottlieb (all three also produced).

Check my other comments for background on Rachel Sweet.

Tracks (best in italics)

Voo Doo – For what it is (big 80s overproduced pop) it's not too bad. The guitar is a hangover from the mainstream 70s and makes no concessions to powerpop or new wave.
Paralyzed – quite catchy
Sticks And Stones – moving into Cyndi Lauper territory though with a little more grunt
American Girl – good lyrics but a so-so song
The Heart Is A Lonely Hunter –
Blame It On Love – quite good. Very big but (very) well sung…sort of like a pop version of Joan Jett.
Hearts On The Line – well sung but not especially memorable.
Cruisin' Love – "Nice girls need action, nice girls need satisfaction" ….?
Cool Heart – so so.
Baby Blue – a the big ballad – and quite a good one.