Julianna Raye – Something Peculiar

There were two deciding factors in my getting this album – it was in a 50-cent CD cutout bin, and it was produced by Jeff Lynne. Well, maybe that’s a bit harsh – it turned out to be worth at least 50 cents! I must confess that I know absolutely nothing at all about this particular artist, her history, previous or later releases (if any), outside of this one album (though I have since found out that she sang backup on a Claudia Christian single). Most of it is good, even if – in a very rare instance – the music is overpowered by Jeff Lynne’s production in a few spots. Standout tracks include “Limbo” and, my favorite, the title track, both of which benefit from the trademark sound of their producer. Several other tunes, however, suffer from an identity crisis – who’s more responsible for the sound we’re hearing, Julianna Raye or Jeff Lynne? In many cases, it’s a toss-up, and results in my first criticism of Lynne’s production work being too thick – the producer’s job should be to support, not overpower, the talent. Worth a listen, perhaps for no other reason than so you can figure out what I’m talking about here!

1. Limbo (3:12)
2. I’ll Get You Back (3:42)
3. Tell Me I’m Alright (3:09)
4. Taking Steps (3:14)
5. Peach Window (2:12)
6. Something Peculiar (3:45)
7. Roses (3:24)
8. Laughing Wild (3:56)
9. In My Time (3:04)
10. My Tribe (4:02)
11. Nicola (3:08)

Released by: Reprise
Release date: 1992
Total running time: 37:01