1982 - "The Late Late Breakfast Show" - A singer with an outrageous hairdo singing about her possessions...
From that moment on, I was absolutely hooked on Mari Wilson and her music and have been a fan for over 25 years, loving all her forays into various different styles of music including jazz on "The Rhythm Romance" and easy listening on "Dolled Up", however THIS is the Mari Wilson I love more than anything - Queen Of Retro Pop.
"Emotional Glamour", is a fantastic achievement and Mari's greatest moment since "Showpeople" in 1983. On this album she is vocalist, writer, producer and backing vocalist - Mari coming at you from all different directions through your speakers is a fantastic experience!
The album opens with the invitation to "shimmy shimmy baby" as Mari asks "Have You Got What It Takes?" with a slice of 60s influenced pop, sounding similar to the original B side of "Dance Card"-"If That's What You Want". As the album proceeds, there is not one duff track at all, Mari's voice sounds stronger than ever due to the extensive live performing over the years and the tunes are incredibly catchy, the most singalongable Mari Wilson album there has ever been.
There's the anthemic stomper "The Loneliest Road", "Killing Time" sounding like the classic track "Every Little Bit Hurts", a slice of cha-cha-cha with "Hits And Misses", "Me And My Baby" beginning with overtones of "Leader Of The Pack", "Forever Young" a tongue in cheek nod to trying to look younger and the classic "Perhaps, Perhaps, Perhaps".
Standout track for me is the wonderful Abba-esque "Only Human", an up tempo disco stomper which should have been the single.
So...10 out of 10 to one of the greatest female singers and live performers around today. As the previous reviewer said, if you haven't caught Mari live you HAVE to, the best live performer I have seen and she does a great version of the Partridge Family hit "I Think I Love You"!
This album will hopefully gain the attention it deserves and put Mari back on top where she belongs- if you're a fan, this is Just What You Always Wanted!