Terry Linen *

Personnel includes: Terry Linen (vocals); Ian "Beezy" Coleman (guitar); Rudy Valentino (Spanish guitar); Dean Fraser (flute); Handel Tucker, Christopher Birch (keyboards); Donald Dennis (bass); Paul Kastick (drums); Errol Barrette, Dwight Downey (percussion).
Personnel: Terry Linen (vocals); Dwight Pinkney (vocals, guitar); Paul "Limey" Murray , Tony Gold, Brian Gold (vocals, background vocals); Danny Brownie (guitar, keyboards, drums); Paul Crosdale (guitar, keyboards); Chinna Smith, Earl "Chinna" Smith , Mike Fletcher, Michael "Mike Dee" Johnson, Ian Coleman (guitar); Rudy Valentino (Spanish guitar); Wycliffe "Steely" Johnson (violin, keyboards, drums); Dean Fraser (horns); Rohan Dwyer (keyboards, drums); Christopher Birch, Handel Tucker, Robert Lyn, Benjy Myaz (keyboards); Melbourne Miller (drums, percussion); Paul Kastick, Andrew Campbell (drums); Nick Tucker (background vocals).
Audio Mixers: Anthony Cameron; Jason Sterling; Rohan Dwyer; Shane Brown.
Recording information: 321 Strong Recording Studio; Archor Recording Studios; Mainstreet Recording Studio; Studio 2000; Tuff Gong Recording Studios.
Photographer: William Richards.
Arranger: Anthony Cameron.
Terry Linen seems to be positioning himself at the head of the soft reggae pack with this release, which is essentially an update of the lovers rock genre, heavily tinged with American R&B. It helps that there are some standout songs here, most particularly the opener, "Your Love Is My Love," with its catchy chorus, and a version of R. Kelly's "Storm Is Over." If the rest of the songs had lived up to these two -- and notably "Your Love Is My Love" makes a reappearance in a Spanish mix to catch that crossover audience -- this would have been a cracker of a record. Unfortunately, they don't, and while producer Anthony Cameron can pen a decent tune, he doesn't have an ear for the outstanding, sometimes delving into maudlin sentimentality, as on "Thank You Mama." Linen himself has a pleasant enough voice, which is more crooner than soulful, but he works hard to put his lyrics across (especially on the soul standard "Where Do Broken Hearts Go"), and the arrangements are uncluttered, if never inspired. Somehow, it's impossible not to think of Terry Linen as the new Johnny Nash -- although whether that's really a good thing will remain to be seen. ~ Chris Nickson