The Message - Chi Coltrane

The Message follows the same pattern as Ready to Roll - a grab-bag of up-tempo, synth numbers, and languid ballads. As before, nothing here wrenches the heart in the way Coltrane's first few albums did. The Message's title track, part-spoken, and with choral backing vocals in Latin, is interesting, but in a bloodless, scientific way; it doesn't actually press any emotional buttons. There are some victories - the sparsely-worded "Running" succeeds in conveying the half-joy, half-terror feeling of fleeing a bad relationship. "Goodbye My Love" and "Heart of Stone" attempt to capture Coltrane at the piano in the manner of her early work, and almost do. But, unfortunately, more time is given to material like "You Don't Love Me," arranged with all manner of bleeping sound-effects, and the overall impression is thus tarnished. ~ Charles Donovan, All Music Guide