Soul Dancing

Album Review

Taylor Dayne, who was one of the late 1980s/early 1990s most reliable hitmakers, witnessed the end of her streak with her third album, 1993's Soul Dancing. This album was not as ambitious as her previous set, 1989's Can't Fight Fate, which featured dance, rock, and adult contemporary ballads, and it wasn't as dance oriented as her debut, 1988's Tell It to My Heart. Instead, it sort of straddled a muddy, middle ground, in an era when grunge and hip-hop reigned supreme. The album's first single, an excellent, dance-lite take on Barry White's "Can't Get Enough of Your Love," managed to crack the Top 20, but there were no more big hits to follow. The next single, "Send Me a Lover," managed to peak at a lowly number 50, yet, in retrospect, stands as one of Dayne's finest moments, and was later covered by Celine Dion. There are a few standout dance tracks, as well as some of the artist's signature styled, soaring, emotional ballads, including the Diane Warren penned "Dance With a Stranger" and the Keith Washington duet "Door to Your Heart." "I'll Wait," another fine moment from this set, managed to bubble under and become a dance hit, as did "Say a Prayer" several years later. Unfortunately, however, this overlooked album signaled the end of Taylor Dayne's hit streak. ~ Jose F. Promis, Rovi