At some point in many a singer/songwriter's career, the performer realizes that he or she can no longer rely on easy-to-please, doe-eyed coffeehouse folkies, and in order to "make it" on a larger level, his or her writing will have to be streamlined for a more mainstream audience. In this respect, Step Into the Light reveals Patty Larkin in the midst of an intense artistic maturing process. Songs like "Caffeine" and "Dodge Dart" are the type of slightly witty (but not really very funny) attempts at comedy songs that probably brought the house down at the college campus but are better left to experts like John Hartford. Other tunes show promise but are underdeveloped and sorely in need of editing. A few, however, show the kind of sophistication that have placed Larkin in the same ranks with artists such as Shawn Colvin. The title track, for example, is pop of the catchiest and most radio-friendly sort; the sort of thing that wouldn't seem out of place on a Christopher Cross album. "Cupid's Knee" measures favorably with Larkin's later work and seems well suited for pop-country vocalists of the Patty Loveless bent. Step Into the Light, while certainly uneven, contains its fair share of gems and, despite Larkin's youthful missteps, holds one's attention throughout. ~ Pemberton Roach