Diana Ross would probably be offended by anyone who called her 1980 smash
Diana a comeback, but let's face it -- after the flop of
The Wiz, and the way that the disco revolution steamrollered so many of her Motown compatriots' careers, that's exactly what it was. Wisely hooking up with
Chic's
Nile Rodgers and Bernard Edwards (both the most traditionally rooted and most fearless of the major disco-era producers),
Ross sounds more forceful than she had in years. The helium-toned style of her early hits with
the Supremes is worlds away from the assertive way she rips into the funky hit "Upside Down." Even better, the joyous, celebratory "I'm Coming Out" is probably the best solo track of her career, and the heartfelt "Now That You're Gone" is one of her most subtle ballads. The glossy
Chic production might sound a bit dated to some ears, but it's matured much better than many similar albums of the era. Overall, this is, in many ways,
Diana Ross' best solo record. [
Diana was released on limited-edtion pink vinyl for Record Store Day 2017.] ~ Charity Stafford