Christopher Cross – Another Page

Idk who Christopher Cross is but I like flamingos so that’s why I bought the album.

If repeating the sudden stratospheric success of the 1979’s self-titled debut album was presumably excluded from the beginning, the second lp became a big disappointment for the texan guitarist and marked the end of his brief romance with stardom. Eventually Cross was convinced that the key to remain hooked to that mass appeal innuendo that was his overnight rising from obscure (but very good) musician to Grammy and Oscar winner was rushing headlong in generally accepted or ‘safe’ mainstream pop, or in other words trying to accomodate everyone with the risk, however, of don’t let anyone truly adore your genuine style. The first album worked so well because of its unicity, an estremely well crafted musicians’ paradise, very accurate in its eclecticism and very strong in its songwriting, always attentive to remain elegant and cultured in its blend of soft rock and pop jazz held together by a series of astonishing performances of Cross’ musician friends who communicate a genuine heartfelt and enthusiastic interplay. If nothing in that debut album is diluted or gives the idea of betraying musicianship in order to please the masses, for his second time around it looks like Cross had unlearnt the recipe for his own success and identity, and in the end he delivers a mostly forgettable immaculately clear MOR product. Side one is more keyboard driven and we feel the lack of some redeeming guitar work, that when it comes it’s furthermore mixed too low, while side two is more acoustic. The compositions are mainly cheesy and none of them has a glimpse of those hooks and bite that typified all the first album’s tracks. The best moments are the still beautiful “Think of Laura” and the “Up where we belong” copycat duet “What Am I Supposed To Believe”, albeit they don’t possess a completely satisfying emotional drive. In conclusion it’s a bit sad that an artist who was popular amongst the most up-to-date musically wise youth could have drifted so abruptly to entertain that same audience’s old aunties, by tailoring pop music that ended up being used in soap operas.

Christopher Cross definitely likes flamingos, no doubt about that no sir.