Love Decides

It's certainly been a wait: 18 years, in fact, since vocalist Jane Olivor released her last record, In Concert. In 1982, after a meteoric rise that even involved teaming up with her idol Johnny Mathis for a hit duet, Olivor decided to take a break from the building pressures of stardom; much to the chagrin of her growing fan base, the time off mysteriously continued to tick away, in the process seeming to cut off a legendary career in the making. A very tentative--though enthusiastically received--comeback began in the early '90s with some live concerts but is now boldly proclaimed with this release. With producer Steve Abbaddo--who's fond of interweaving acoustical with ethereally tinged electronic sound tapestries--at the control knobs, Olivor continues to infuse the ballads and uptempo numbers of Love Decides with her signature warmth and passion. There are still many moments that tempt inevitable comparisons with Streisand, but Olivor's deeply personal, completely felt stylings are all her own. On "Half Heaven, Half Heartache," for example, Olivor's soulfulness imbues the standard with a fresh immediacy (she's joined on backup by Gene Pitney himself). Let's hope this immensely gifted interpreter doesn't keep us waiting this long till the next one. --Thomas May