Description
Look Who Loves You Now is the third studio album by the American singer Michele Pillar, released on Sparrow Records in 1984. The album was produced and arranged by jazz guitarist Larry Carlton.
‘Look Who Loves You Now’ is a slick, 10-song package of sweet ballads and pop-rock numbers. It’s true to the time-tested formula which keeps Michele Pillar firmly entrenched in her adult contemporary niche. Of special interest is the fact that well known, Los Angeles-based jazz guitarist Larry Carlton produced Pillar’s third LP.
The album gets off to an ambitious start with «Each Day He Gives Me», a pulsating, top 40-calibre tune laden with enough hooks to snag even the most disinterested listener. But Pillar seems to have trouble cutting loose on this album – with the exception of her animated vocalizing on «Just Take a Step» and, to a lesser degree, «One Day Like Him». On «Step» the singer dabbles with some vocal twists, turns, and runs which add the right “oomph” to the song’s snappy back-beat.
For the most part, however, Pillar’s laid back, plain and pleasant deliveries lack the necessary edge to slice through the record’s heavy West coast syntho-pop sound. Her voice seems to float better over the sparser, more traditional instrumentation represented on her previous Muscle Shoals efforts.
The title track is a catchy pop song with the kind of ambiguity geared toward a crossover market. “Wanting to touch You/ Wanting to see You/ I know there’ll come a day/ But, Lord, if You could/ Right now if You would/ Cast a glimpse my way.” (The “Lord” could be taken as an exclamation.)
Pillar and Sheila Walsh harmonize on «To Worship You», a nice, though hardly noteworthy, ballad. Walsh’s high, twittering vocals effectively complement Pillar’s lower, more earthy sound.
The singer offers up some mild admonishments to the church. «Emotions Wound Us So» addresses the need of Christians to reach out to brothers and sisters. «Here We Go» indicts some Christians’ tendency to isolate themselves from the world – and even from other believers. The song’s soothing, easy-going melody seems strangely at odds with its rather stinging message.
«Wandering the Night», with its whooshing percussion and infectious tempo, is one of the album’s better cuts, even if it does sound like Lionel Ritchie’s «Running with the Night». «He’ll Shine His Light on You» and «I Want to Make a Difference» are generally disappointments.
With a solid following and regular airplay, Michele Pillar occupies a more than respectable position on contemporary Christian music charts. Keeping this in mind, she has the rare luxury of being able to rock the boat style-wise while still cruising on the radio waves. [Deborah Brown, CCM, December 1984]
> Apple Music (https://music.apple.com/us/album/look-who-loves-you-now/716252718)
LP tracklist:
Side One
A1. “Each Day He Gives Me” – 3:30
A2. “Look Who Loves You Now” – 3:19
A3. “He’ll Shine His Light On You” – 3:06
A4. “Just Take A Step” – 3:35
A5. “Emotions Wound Us So” – 3:15
Side Two
B1. “Wandering The Night” – 4:30
B2. “To Worship You” (duet with Sheila Walsh) – 3:29
B3. “Here We Go” – 3:50
B4. “One Day Like Him” – 3:20
B5. “I Want To Make A Difference” – 3:27
Note: Simultaneously released on cassette and 12-inch vinyl LP by Sparrow Records.
The March 1985 issue of CCM Magazine featured a cover story on Michele Pillar.
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