Alicia Bridges - Play It As It Lays (1979) LP

It's unfortunate that Alicia Bridges' commercial success was so short-lived, for there's much more to her output than 1978's "I Love the Nightlife (Disco Round)." This overlooked sophomore set features an impressive cast of session musicians, including the Tower of Power horns and background vocalists Rhodes-Chalmers-Rhodes. Bridges and writing partner Susan Hutcheson prove they are apt in a number of styles, ranging from the gutsy soul of "Learned to Dance Too Soon" to the fiery rock of "What Would You Do if Your Heart Stopped Beating Tonight?" Vocally, Bridges covers wide terrain, too: She's sassy on "Under the Cover of Darkness," lighthearted and sultry on the cool "So Cozy," and mellow on the fine jazz arrangement of "Cheap Affairs." Meanwhile, tunes like "Rex the Robot" and "Learned to Dance..." effectively blend disco elements with straight-ahead rock and funk ingredients. More adventurous and better-produced than her self-titled debut (which wasn't bad at all), this is a must-have for any Bridges fan.