AMG Review of Crossing

Aaron Badgley
All Music Guide

Following the success of Other Voices (1990), Paul Young embarked on this very ambitious project. Using several big-name artists as backup (including Mark Isham, Jeff Porcaro, Billy Preston, Don Was, Kathleen Turner, and Benmont Tench, to name a few), Young put together a very consistent, smooth, well-produced album of soft rock/soul songs. Young also contributes a great many original titles to the mix, and the songs are wonderful. This is a beautifully produced CD, with strong horn and string arrangements with Young's awesome voice over it all. "Now I Know What Made Otis Blue" is worth the price of the CD alone, but the other songs are top-notch as well. It is to Young's credit that he can put together a very cohesive album given the patchwork in which it was recorded.