Candles in the Rain
Cards on the table right up front: this is one of my favourite albums. In my desert island disc selection it would be a contender for top spot. When my original copy of the LP got worn, I bought another, and later a copy of the 1996 remaster cd.
I’m incapable of giving any sort of rational analysis of it so I’ll say this. It was her third album and recorded with a set of very fine British session musicians (Alan Parker? Tick. Herbie Flowers? Tick) and that gives it it’s drive and musical quality, but overwhelmingly the heart and soul of this is Melanie’s voice. She gives everything to every song. All of the songs are her own except two covers, and dash me if her versions of Carolina In My Mind and Ruby Tuesday don’t outclass the originals.
The only thing to watch out for is that the UK release (from later in the year) has a slightly different, and better, track list: America got Alexander Beetle while we got Close to it All. The cd remaster went with the US release.
As far as I can see the album isn’t on Spotify but it is a playlist on YouTube.
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