Living Return

AMG Review of Living Return

Jonathan Widran
All Music Guide

Swing Out Sister was one of New Adult Contemporary's early flagship acts, but while the duo of keyboardist Andy Connell and Basia-like singer Corinne Drewery have made their mark focusing on traditional brassy soul elements, they make a slight miscalculation on this effort by trying to be too deep, too jazzy and too emotional. A few of the later cuts (most notably the lively "That's The Way It Goes") capture the swinging, horn drenched spirit of their most engaging hits, but getting there is a slow, somewhat laborious process. The grooves on most of the tracks aim for a moody stylishness, and not even Drewery's romantically crisp phrasing can transcend the mellow often enough. Not surprisingly, their explosive cover of the old Delfonics hit "La La Means I Love You," which returns the duo to the sound they have the greatest affinity for, is also the most engaging venture here. The Living Return is not a misguided effort by any means, simply blander than the previous products of their sassified charm.