Irene Cara - Carasmatic (1987 Japan)

Cara's legal battles with former record label Network were far from over when she released her first (and only) album for Elektra in 1987. This pressure evidently affected her output for the worse during this period, as the material here lacks the vocal and musical conviction of her first two albums. The pretentious, '60s-cloned "Girlfriends" is one of a handful of empty uptempo cuts. And the Michael Bolton/Doug James ballad, "Now That It's Over," never quite reaches its destination, with Cara struggling to hit the song's higher notes and only seeming to be halfway into the rest of the song. Likewise, "Be Your Number One" has a catchy refrain, but it feels like nothing's happening during the verses. With only halfway decent songs, limited production, and Cara vocally not up to par, this album will only be of interest to the true Cara conoisseur.