Inside Seduction

AMG Review of Inside Seduction

Alex Henderson
All Music Guide

Anyone with even a casual interest in the northern soul of the 1960s should be familiar with Lamont Dozier, who was part of the legendary Holland/Dozier/Holland songwriting team and helped make Motown Records the powerhouse it was. After being equally prolific at Hot Wax/Invictus in the early 1970s, he did some worthwhile solo things as a solo artist (including the 1974 single "Let Me Start Tonight)." Dozier wasn't heard from much in the 1980s, but in 1991, he attempted a comeback with the glossy Inside Seduction. Though the writing is hardly on a par with what he did at Motown and Hot Wax/Invictus, it's generally enjoyable. The seductive "Love In the Rain" (the only real gem on the album) has a strong '70s soul flavor, while high-tech songs like "Attitude Up," "Pure Heaven" and "No Comment" find Dozier aiming at the urban contemporary and pop markets with decent results. Of course, the Dozier of the 1960s and '70s was a lot more than merely decent. This isn't an album to be ashamed of, but still, a songwriter of Dozier's caliber is capable of a lot more.