What The Critics Say
Laura Branigan had greater creative participation in the making of her seventh album, earning credits for songwriting, arrangements, and production. Industry vet Phil Ramone was the main producer, however, and the result was a move away from the disco diva approach of Branigan's earlier records and a move toward the pop-rock mainstream. Given that Branigan's albums had shown a downward sales pattern, it was a fair attempt at repositioning, but these undistinguished romantic ballads, whether by Branigan herself, Michael Bolton, Gloria Estefan, or others, failed to offer the singer an opportunity to steady herself in the middle of the road. As a result, Over My Heart came in under the pop radar screen: It didn't reach the charts and disappeared quickly after release. ~ William Ruhlmann, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Laura Branigan's fifth album, Touch, showed signs of maturity as she made a bid (that was not quite successful) for adult contemporary crossover -- a smart chance to take considering the longevity many A/C acts have. Her big, boomy voice is perfect for some of the moody ballads on this collection, such as "Over Love," "Meaning of the Word," and "Spirit of Love," but there are so many of those successfully evocative cuts that the dance songs don't fit as seamlessly as they should. That's not to say the upbeat tracks are not in good shape: The lead single, "Shattered Glass" (produced by Stock, Aitken, Waterman, who produced successful Bananarama and Kylie Minogue singles in the same period), and "Angels Calling" stand out; you can hardly hold back from caroling along. Synthesizer-heavy throughout, on both the slow and fast songs, the strings on the yearning "Cry Wolf" near the end of the album are welcome. The lyrics on many of the cuts are poetic and adult, making this atmospheric collection the best product she'd released so far; the material is far better suited to her voice -- which has never sounded better -- than the Europop she recorded prior to this. "The Power of Love" exhibits the weight she can convey in a whisper, while also giving her something to really sink her teeth into. Her voice being her strongest asset, Branigan never received the direction Celine Dion did, so she never achieved the same massive success, though her voice is equal in terms of power, beauty, and distinction. ~ Bryan Buss, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Laura Branigan began to falter in her quest to be the white, '80s Donna Summer with her fourth album, which failed to scale the sales heights of her first three, despite another clutch of dramatic, heavily produced Eurodisco tracks, three of which found their way onto the singles charts. The closest thing to a hit was "Spanish Eddie" (this album's remake of her first smash, "Gloria"), a song with an odd street-life lyric that made reference to Bob Dylan's "Desolation Row." Indeed, the ghost of Bob seemed to be haunting this album, which featured yet another song called "Forever Young." Elsewhere, Branigan again turned to songwriter Michael Bolton for "I Found Someone," and as she had with "How Am I Supposed To Live Without You," did it much better than its author, for what it's worth. But on the whole, Hold Me found The Branigan formula growing stale. ~ William Ruhlmann, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Laura Branigan's third album capitalized on the Euro-dance-pop and affecting ballads that made her an international star while allowing her to grow as a vocalist. Her collections, always uneven in terms of material, benefit mostly from her stellar voice, and this is no exception."The Lucky One" and "Heart" start slow and build to a crescendo, perfectly showcasing her range without being obvious. The title track, about finding sex in the seamy side of town, sparked a bit of a controversy, but ended up being her second biggest hit. The song itself works, but Branigan was never a sex bomb, so the fact that she pulls it off is indicative of her power as a performer. "Ti Amo" is the album's theatrical ballad, which works well with breathy, dramatic vocals. She even pulls off a graceful cover of "Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow" that is clear and simple, while "Breaking Out" and "Take Me" are perfect examples of synthesizer-driven '80s dance ditties. The only slow moments come with "Silent Partners" and "With Every Beat of My Heart," and that's not because they're ballads. The production bogs them down, and the lyrics are so pedestrian, you won't find yourself moved by them except to skip to the next song. ~ Bryan Buss, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Laura Branigan's full, expressive voice shows serious growth on this, her second album. A much more cohesive collection than her first disc, the material on Branigan 2 utilizes her vocals to their fullest extent; and while there were many filler songs on her debut, this album doesn't waste a single track. That is not to say Branigan 2 is perfect, but simply that there is something worthwhile in each cut. "Solitaire," with its quiet beginnings and pull-out-all-the-stops finale, shows off just what chops this singer has. "Deep in the Dark" is sexy and, despite coming hot on the heels of a German version ("Der Komissar" by After the Fire), is different and sexy enough to be welcome as opposed to unnecessary. She does a far superior version of Michael Bolton's "How Am I Supposed to Live Without You," though his version was a much bigger hit years later; while Bolton went over the top with his vocals and production, Branigan's take is simpler, prettier, and shows shades of emotion at which Bolton could only hint. While covering a Who song might be considered foolish (or brave) for so new a singer, it pays off as "Squeeze Box" is playful and sexy without being disrespectful to the original. "Mama," a whispered penance for having given in to a bad boy, shows that Branigan knows when to cut the dramatics. And "Lucky," a pretty, guitar-driven ballad, is bittersweet without being cloying. As always for Branigan, the struggle is simply to find material and production to match her vocals. And, though this album isn't the most mature album of its time, it shows she's more comfortable with herself and her voice and shows enormous promise of what she's really capable. ~ Bryan Buss, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Laura Branigan became an international name with the release of "Gloria" from this, her debut album. That remake of an Italian pop hit entrenched itself in Billboard's Top Ten, peaking at number two and securing itself as an anthemic classic. While it perfectly fit her aggressive, dramatic voice, the second single, the over-synthesized and borderline-boring ballad "All Night With Me," didn't do nearly as well, failing to even break the Top 40, practically ensuring that she would become another one-hit wonder casualty. (Luckily, Branigan deftly avoided that fate by recording and releasing Branigan 2, which had better production and better songs and was a more cohesive collection in which she seemed more comfortable.) The rest of this album, despite being worth checking out simply for Branigan's powerful voice, is middling at best. Though she finds nuances in lyrics and melodies that are not up to her talent, the production often bogs the album down, especially on the ballads. "I Wish We Could Be Alone" and "Maybe I Love You" are all right, but the aforementioned "All Night With Me" and "Lovin' You Baby" are so mediocre, the album, already a small collection at nine songs, would be stronger if they had simply been omitted. "If You Loved Me" fares best as it is more laid-back and the production supports the melody as opposed to overshadowing it. The theatrical "Living a Lie," the frantic "Please Stay, Go Away," and the groovy "Down Like a Rock" lift the album up so that "Gloria" isn't the only worthwhile cut. Branigan shows the young singer getting her footing so she can move on to more accomplished material that can keep up with her killer voice. ~ Bryan Buss, All Music Guide
