Pleasant But Unremarkable
John L. Hughes, Jr. | Nashville, TN | 02/23/2006
(2 out of 5 stars)
"Dee Dee's second self-titled album (fourth American album overall) marks an end to the singer's comercially-oriented r&b/jazz lite fusion period. This 1980 release is produced by Thom Bell (the Spinners, the Stylistics) who buries Bridgewater's firery charms with the already-dated Philly sound and material that sounds like Spinners rejects. The peppy top 50 r&b hit "One In A Million (Guy)" is here along with the cult classic "Lonely Disco Dancer" and the creamy "When Love Comes Knockin'".
Dee Dee's two previous albums (1977's "Just Family" and 1979's "Bad For Me") were charming because it featured a jazz singer's interpretation of r&b. However on this album, Dee Dee's brassy style is neutered, and the singer simply sounds bored singing this so-so material, especially on the cutesy "Gunshots In The Night".
After this album, Dee Dee swore off of r&b oriented projects, moved to Paris, and reinvented herself as a successful, Grammy-award winning traditional jazz singer."