Jackie DeShannon - Your Baby Is A Lady (1974)

Following a fruitful 1960s, the '70s were less kind to pop star songwriter Jackie DeShannon. Though her star hadn't faded completely -- DeShannon worked successfully with Van Morrison in this time and continued to pen hits for other artists -- a string of changes in labels and other career details distracted from her path. The 1974 album Your Baby Is a Lady would be DeShannon's last for Atlantic, and though backed by a string of sturdy session players, hints of exhaustion come through in parts of the album's dusty blue-eyed soul feel. The strongest moments come in a pair of DeShannon's own compositions, the jaunty title track and the wistful soft rock Carole King-isms of "You've Changed."

Review by Fred Thomas