With singles from his 1980 self-titled debut barely out of the charts,
Rafael Cameron slammed another batch in when he released
Cameron's in Love just a year later. Working again with
Brass Construction's
Randy Muller, who wrote all but one song on the LP, and still with the now-credited
Skyy's instrumental alter ego,
Funk Deluxe,
Cameron reached even higher than before, delivering another snappy set. Divided into up-tempo dance grooves and tender ballads,
Cameron's in Love spun two catchy songs into the charts. "Funtown U.S.A.," an incredibly funky slab that drew from influences including
Chic and Sly Stone, wrapped shouts and call-outs around a rolling bass juiced up with freshly synthesized bells and whistles. "Boogies Gonna Get Ya'" repeated the process with a more restrained funk for a cooler groove, while "Daisy" spun off in another direction entirely, a sweet love song wrapped in Caribbean rhythms. The song unwittingly provided an interesting bridge between
Cameron's tender ballads, "In Love" and "I Go Crazy." While
Cameron's in Love emerges as a strong effort overall, one can't help but wish that more of
Cameron's own imprint were present here. Having proved his own songwriting worth on his debut, his surrender to producer
Muller's pen leaves one wondering precisely whose album -- or, indeed, career -- this was turning out to be. ~ Amy Hanson