Thunder in My Heart

by Leo Sayer

Overview

"Thunder in My Heart" and "Easy to Love" barely nicked the Top 40, and of his eight chart hits from 1975 to 1981, these two were the weakest, but this disco album by the quirky singer, once again produced by Richard Perry, is listenable and has more than its share of good players. Olivia Newton-John songwriter Tom Snow co-wrote the title track with Sayer, while Albert Hammond helped out on the second song and follow-up hit. Half of the ten songs are Snow co-writes, with Hammond, Michael Omartian, Bruce Roberts, and others all contributing. The second Hammond/Sayer title, "I Want You Back," is a pleasant album track, but with Omartian on piano, Jeff Porcaro on drums, and Larry Carlton on guitar, Perry could just put the session on automatic pilot. The album needs a jolt somewhere and it doesn't kick in; Sayer tries finding some middle ground while trying to make the transition to Engelbert Humperdinck, but actually comes off like a low-key guy version of Donna Summer. (That might sound more abysmal on paper than the album is.) It is quite polite, perhaps just a little too trendy to have the staying power necessary for this British TV host to make a real musical impact with it. Bowie he's not, nor is he as sincere here as the aforementioned Hammond. Ray Parker adds guitar to "It's Over" and James Newton Howard puts the synthesizers where they belong. The music on side two, from "Fool for Your Love" to "We Can Start It All Over Again," is more of the same highly listenable but disposable pop music. Thunder in My Heart is an album you want to like more than it lets you. ~ Joe Viglione

Product Details

Release Date:	02/28/2020
Label:	Demon Records
UPC:	5014797901469

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Leo Sayer   Primary Artist,Harmonica,Vocals,Guitar
Richard Perry   Primary Artist
Ira Newborn   Guitar,Guitar (Rhythm)
Larry Carlton   Guitar
Becky Lewis   Vocals,Vocals (Background)
Petsye Powell   Vocals (Background)
Fred Taskett   Guitar
Bobby Kimball   Vocals (Background)
Lenny Castro   Conductor,Congas
Jeff Porcaro   Drums
Lee Ritenour   Guitar
Jay Graydon   Guitar
David Hungate   Bass
Clydie King   Vocals
Ben Adkins   Bass
Pat Henderson   Vocals (Background)
Tom Scott   Saxophone
Michael Omartian   Keyboards,Piano
Fred Tackett   Guitar
Bobbye Hall   Tabla,Percussion
Ray Parker, Jr.   Guitar
Tom Snow   Piano
Sherlie Matthews   Vocals
Abraham Laboriel, Sr.   Bass
Jack Ashford   Percussion
James Newton Howard   Keyboards

Technical Credits

John Vastano   Composer
Kerry Chater   Composer
Leo Sayer   Composer
Richard Perry   Producer
Albert Hammond   Composer
Michael Omartian   Composer
Tom Snow   Composer
Bruce Roberts   Composer