Woman Love

Album Review

Burton Cummings is perhaps best known from his days as the lead singer/songwriter for the legendary Guess Who and his successful solo career. The Winnipeg native has managed to make himself something of a Canadian icon. His fourth solo recording, Woman Love, is finally available in a newly remastered version and released for the first time in the configuration Cummings had originally wanted it to be. The first to be released on the Columbia label, this particular solo album was a sore spot for Cummings upon its original release in 1980. The year before, Dream of a Child had brought him so much success that he was signed to a lucrative long-term contract with Columbia Records in the U.S., but this contract, unknown to Cummings, cost him creative control of the record. After a dispute with the executives, Woman Love was never released in the U.S., and the configuration of the album was altered by the label executives and not released as Cummings intended it. Still, the album was a commercial success in Canada and won Cummings a Juno award, produced the hit "Fine State of Affairs," and remains a fan favorite to this day with such songs as "Heavenly Blue Day" and "One and Only." The corporate politics surrounding the release of the album left Cummings with a disdain for record company executives that is still reflected in the new liner notes of this album. This album was remastered by legendary engineer Bill Inglot and contains two new bonus tracks from Cummings' extensive library. All original artwork has been fully restored, and this remastered version is accompanied by new liner notes, written by Burton himself, and all of the lyrics.