Swing Out Sister was one of New Adult Contemporary's early flagship acts, but while the duo of keyboardist Andy Connell and Basia-like singer Corinne Drewery have made their mark focusing on traditional brassy soul elements, they make a slight miscalculation on this effort by trying to be too deep, too jazzy and too emotional. A few of the later cuts (most notably the lively "That's The Way It Goes") capture the swinging, horn drenched spirit of their most engaging hits, but getting there is a slow, somewhat laborious process. The grooves on most of the tracks aim for a moody stylishness, and not even Drewery's romantically crisp phrasing can transcend the mellow often enough. Not surprisingly, their explosive cover of the old Delfonics hit "La La Means I Love You," which returns the duo to the sound they have the greatest affinity for, is also the most engaging venture here.
The Living Return is not a misguided effort by any means, simply blander than the previous products of their sassified charm. ~ Jonathan Widran