Christopher Cross Albums (9)
'A Christopher Cross Christmas'
Release Date 11/15/2007
Tracks 12
Label Christopher Cross
See Album Tracklist and Review
'Walking in Avalon'
Release Date 5/19/1998
Tracks 26
Label CMC International
See Album Tracklist and Review
What The Critics Say
The two-disc Walking in Avalon is a rather schizophrenic affair, with one disc devoted to all new material and the other concentrating on live renditions of Christopher Cross hits like "Sailing," "Arthur's Theme" and "Think of Laura." The collection is likely to appeal to devoted fans... ~ Jason Ankeny, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Christopher Cross made a belated comeback in 1995 with Window. Cross hadn't made any great changes to his adult contemporary ballad stylings, although the record certainly bears the stamp of mid-'90s production techniques. Perhaps he would have been able to re-enter the charts if he had been able to come up with a selection of material that was melodically engaging, but most of the record is devoid of anything resembling hooks; instead, it relies on its production to make an impact. As a result, Window is a bland collection of faceless, mellow pop that works only as background music. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Although it went ignored at the time, Rendezvous was Christopher Cross' best album in ten years. It wasn't because he changed his style -- he remained an MOR balladeer with a fondness for slick productions and sentimental melodies -- but there's a little bit of an edge to his writing, and his songs are uniformly memorable. It may be a minor victory, but it's a victory nonetheless, and it's one that makes Rendezvous welcome to many fans of his first two albums. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide
'Every Turn of the World'
Release Date 1/1/1985
Tracks 10
Label Warner Bros.
See Album Tracklist and Review
What The Critics Say
Having suffered a commercial decline with the ballad-filled Another Page, Christopher Cross took a harder rocking approach with his third album, Every Turn of the World. Gone were the L.A. session aces and the SoCal chorus of famous fellow pop singers, as Cross wielded his SynthAxe and producer/co-writer, Michael Omartian his keyboards, along with a rhythm section, on a selection of up-tempo songs, many of which had 'save-the-world' themes. It didn't work. "Charm the Snake," the typically energetic lead-off single, sputtered on the charts, while Cross' core audience of "adult contemporary" ballad fans deserted him, and the album was a sales disaster. If anybody had tried turning over the LP and sampling tunes like The Beach Boys tribute, "Love Found a Home," they would have discovered a couple of more characteristic Cross songs, but it was too little, too late. ~ William Ruhlmann, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Christopher Cross had a lot to live up to following his self-titled debut album, which had sold a million copies (now up to four million), spawned four Top 40 hits, including the number one hit, "Sailing," and won him five Grammy Awards, including Album of the Year, Song of the Year, Record of the Year (the last two for "Sailing"), and Best New Artist. So, he took three years to make Another Page, which, unsurprisingly, sounded a lot like its predecessor. Cross concentrated on smooth pop arrangements, over which be sang greeting-card romantic sentiments in an innocent, Brian Wilson-like tenor. No one would confuse the result with anything truly heartfelt, or with real rock & roll, but Cross' soothing approach was still good enough to put two of his songs, "All Right" and "No Time for Talk," into the Top 40 and earn a gold record certification. Then, nearly a year after the album's release, TV soap opera General Hospital began featuring the maudlin ballad "Think of Laura," and Another Page suddenly had a third single, this one a Top Ten hit. ~ William Ruhlmann, All Music Guide
'Christopher Cross'
Release Date 1/1/1979
Tracks 9
Label Warner Bros.
See Album Tracklist and Review
What The Critics Say
Christopher Cross' debut was a huge hit and widely acclaimed, at least among industry professionals (critics didn't give it a second listen), leading to multi-platinum success and Grammys. In retrospect, it might seem like the kind of success that's disproportional to the record itself, especially to hipper-than-thou younger generations, but in truth, Christopher Cross was a hell of a record -- it just was a hell of a soft rock record, something that doesn't carry a lot of weight among most audiences. That doesn't erase Cross' considerable gifts as a craftsman. Yes, he does favor sentimentality and can be very sweet on the ballads, but his melodicism is rich and construction tight, so there's a sturdy foundation for the classy professional gloss provided by his studio pros and friends, including indelible backing vocals by Michael McDonald. And while the hits like the dreamy "Sailing" and the surging "Ride Like the Wind" deserved all the attention, they're hardly the only highlights here -- to borrow a sports metaphor, this has a deep bench, and there's not a weak moment here. In fact, soft rock albums hardly ever came better than this, and it remains one of the best mainstream albums of its time. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide
