Runaway Horses [CD]

Released towards the end of 1989, Belinda's third solo album strengthened her position in the UK as a credible performer appealing to a broad fanbase.

With six songs co-written, and whole album produced by Rick Nowels, it's easy to see how his songwriting has since progressed (he co-wrote Robert Miles' One & One, Madonna's Power Of Goodbye, Ronan's Rollercoaster and Melanie C's Northern Star amongst others). It wouldn't take much imagination at all to imagine Belinda singing the latter two in particular.

Leave A Light On, Runaway Horses and (We Want) The Same Thing are all classic pop-rock stompers, although the version of The Same Thing on this album was thankfully beefed up for single release. Vision Of You is suitably tragic, La Luna suitable dramatic, and Summer Rain, suitably the best thing she has ever done.

Released as a single in Christmas 1990, to capitalise on the top ten success of The Same Thing, Summer Rain was never going to be a festive hit (it was released in the US as the follow up to Leave A Light On and made the top 30) but it remains the highlight of a conventional yet original set of 10 songs. With lyrics from Maria 'Body Rock' Vidal, the dramtic scope of the story told and accompanying video should have made it an MTV classic.

Of the 4 album tracks that weren't released as singles, Whatever It Takes is one of the strongest on the whole album, complete with BV's from Bryan Adams (the song was written as a duet but he didn't care for a shared lead, apparantly). DDeep Deep Ocean is also a highlight, complete with George Harrison guitar solo.

While the singles weren't all huge successes, its nice to knwo that enough people bought the album to appreciate the 10 songs here, and the fact that Amazon are selling it some 11 years after its release its even nicer that people will still interested.

As if the passionate, energetic "Leave A Light On" were not perfect enough already, it also includes a Slide Guitar solo by the incredible George Harrison. When Belinda sings "hold on tight" in "Runaway Horses," it is good advice because this song can truly run away with both your imagination and your heart. "Vision of Love" is just beautiful--warm vocals, great lyrics, great music. Belinda's voice conveys layers of heart-felt emotion that she never before expressed so fully. "Summer Rain" is one of Belinda's best songs ever, with beautifully sweeping choruses that take you to the railway stations she sings about to watch her true love ride away never to return. "La Luna" is a passionate love song with a distinctly Latin feel to it, accentuated by the sounds of a Spanish guitar and Gypsy violin. "(We Want) the Same Thing" is a rocking track with a strong and steady beat. "Deep Deep Ocean" (featuring George Harrison on six string bass and twelve string guitar) is another emotion-laden track wherein Belinda years for her true to love to open up completely to her. In "Valentine" Belinda sings about the love she cannot help but feel for a man who is "someone else's flame," asking only that he look her way and realize the depth of her feelings for him when his current relationship fades. It's probably my least favorite song on the album, but it is still an emotional, beautifully compelling song. "Whatever It Takes," featuring Bryan Adams singing backup, is yet another great song about true love; she promises to do "whatever it takes" to come through for and stay hand in hand with her soul mate forever. As is her wont, Belinda closes the album out with a soft, sweet song called "Shades of Michelangelo." This final track, co-written by Belinda and Go-Go pal Charlotte Caffey, slowly fades away, leaving you breathless yet warm and comfortable as this incredible CD ends.

This one album is better than most artist's greatest hits collections. Every song is well-nigh perfect and can touch your heart deeply. The one line "How can someone let their love go unspoken?" from "Whatever It Takes" particularly stands out to me because it gave me inspiration, comfort, and confidence at a time when I really needed such feelings. I will certainly not let my love for this CD go unspoken because it is not only Belinda's best album, it is one of the best albums ever recorded period.