This album, a collaboration between
Stevie Wonder protégé
Syreeta and ex-
Spinners lead singer
G.C. Cameron, attempted to combine the popular '70s format of the concept album with the kind of duet-styled songs that used to rack up hit singles for
Marvin Gaye and his duet partners. Sadly, the concept and songs on
Rich Love, Poor Love are too weak too live up to this ambitious concept. The music, all crafted by writer/arranger/producer
Michael Lee Smith, goes for orchestral soul in the vein of
Thom Bell but falls short on several counts. The first problem is that the sound is too lush: everything is drowned in strings, horns, and vocal harmonies that bury any possible hooks that might have been lurking in the songs' melodies. This approach is used on every track without variation, resulting in an album that is entirely lacking in dynamics. The heavy-handed feel of the album is made worse by
Smith's habit of padding out songs with elaborate introductory fanfares and lengthy instrumental fadeouts (the title track is the biggest culprit in this arena, managing to clock in at over seven minutes). Once the listener gets beneath all the elaborate production touches, all that's left is a handful of pleasant but insubstantial soul songs that either rely on endless repetition of their titles ("Love to the Rescue") or serve as melodically flimsy excuses for improvised musical ad-libs between the
Syreeta and
Cameron ("You Need a Change"). The one song that distinguishes itself is "All Things Happen for a Reason," a sugary-sweet ballad reminiscent of
Peaches & Herb's lovey-dovey hits that is built on a memorably pretty chorus.
Syreeta and
Cameron approach these songs with sincerity and professionalism, but they lack the kind of vocal chemistry that made
Marvin Gaye's duet hits work. Ultimately, they end up fighting a losing battle against the overbearing production style. As a result,
Rich Love, Poor Love can only be recommended to 1970s soul music completists. ~ Donald A. Guarisco