Shandi is one of those artists who should have become well known but, for whatever reason, remained obscure. A new wave singer who was active on the Los Angeles/Hollywood rock scene in the late '70s and early '80s,
Shandi had a lot going for her: In addition to having an impressive range and a colorful vocal style, she was a talented songwriter. In 1980
Shandi got a lucky break when the famous
Mike Chapman produced this self-titled LP for his
Dreamland label.
Chapman, who had worked with everyone from
Sweet and
Pat Benatar to
Blondie,
Nick Gilder, and
the Knack, was among rock's top producers, and his support should have made this album a hit. Perhaps
Chapman made a mistake by not using his real name: He's listed as
Commander Chapman, and some people may not have realized that
Mike Chapman and
Commander Chapman were the same person. At any rate,
Chapman does well by
Shandi on this promising LP.
Shandi tends to be quirky and eccentric, but
Chapman doesn't let her become too abstract for her own good. She's at her most left-of-center on
"Don't Sweat It," though
Chapman sees to it that
"Boy Crazy," "Tuff Baby," "Mine (Mine Mine Mine)," and other
Shandi-penned gems are accessible and infectious. But as promising as this LP was, it didn't sell, and regrettably
Shandi never released another album. ~ Alex Henderson
