o be completely honest, I was a little afraid of this disc.


After receiving Take Another Look in the mail, sent to me by the artist himself, I had made the all-too-common “friendly journalist” error of engaging in a dialogue with the artist well before I had ever heard one note from the CD.


In our communications, Terry Christopher came off as a genuinely sincere man with a great sense of humor and a firm grasp of the realities facing independent recording artists today. Yet – that had absolutely nothing to with his talent (either real or perceived).


So, when I finally had a moment to give Take Another Look a well considered and professionally objective listen, I was pleasantly surprised (and vastly relieved!). Relieved, because I would now be able to one day look Terry in the eye (gorgeous eyes, I must add) and say, without reservation or doubt: “Man, you got something truly good going on here.”


The very first track, “Going Going Gone” exhibits echoes of Top 40 pop-funk the likes of which has been toyed with by boy bands from N’Sync to O-Town. Much better, however, is “Same Time Next Year,” a light, romantic song with some nicely arranged background sonics (including gentle rock guitar, some keys and soft percussion), and “Take Another Look” where the rhythm soars with confident edge.


“Forked Tongue-She Devil,” a funky, bass-groovin’ little number, and “Freedom Love/Love Freedom” show up Terry Christopher’s affinity for the up-front, definitive ‘rhythm/rhyme’ plan found in essential pop-rock, 70’s funk and especially within country/western lyrical schemes. While this approach can lead dangerously down the path towards corny, simplistic musical constructions, Michael LaGennusa’s restrained arranging and deliberate programming adds subtle nuance, turning what could easily be considered trite songwriting (‘another school is headlines in the news/we’ve got to come together or we will lose’) into something sneakily compelling. This skill is clearly seen in the juke-box/honky-tonk vibe of “Bad Boy” where the guitar and percussion combinations have the power to make you wanna kick up your boots and party hard, despite the nagging suspicion that you’ve somehow been duped into it.


“And There You Were” and the reverent “Friends and Heroes” make me think of the kind of heart-felt, lite-rock AOR music that was dominant in the mid-70s. Terry Christopher has the same elements working in his favor--that of the earnest, unfettered singer/songwriter who, like David Gates and Don MacLean, pour their hearts into their lyrics. “And There You Were,” though very basic in its statement of the redeeming value of love, would fit perfectly on the soundtrack of a WB show, like the Gilmore Girls or Everwood. The bridge is sweeping and invocative of warm smiles. Terry Christopher’s voice is even, mellifluous, inviting and all-comforting. “And There You Were” turns out to be my favorite on this 10-track disc. I like this one a lot, and that’s a bold statement coming from a woman who has been known to rock out heavy to bands like Pantera and Godsmack!


While this debut won’t win any awards for being cutting-edge, nor for going where no pop artist has ever gone before, Take Another Look is a concise, rhythm-infused, hook-happy assortment of wide-appeal music, delivered just for the sheer joy of it. So, just enjoy.