Unlike some of the other releases by Danny Cox, this one mostly features his original songs. There is one
Bob Dylan song, though, continuing his interest in that repertoire. When it comes to his cover versions of
Dylan and other artists, Cox is frequently knocked for simply being nothing special, despite possessing an attractive voice. As a songwriter, it can also be said that all he brings to the table are riffs, ideas, and melodies that have already gone through more than a full day's run on the buffet, so to speak.
The production team of
Kenny Kerner and
Richie Wise give Cox a full-scale, elaborate production typical of the Casablanca label. Tunes such as "Hot Down in Chile" indicate at least a willingness to experiment, although not in any kind of memorable way. Cox aims for a kind of command over everything, like an
Otis Redding track, but the results are usually just perfunctory. The material fails to stimulate any interest in the singer as a human being or personality, while over-use of female background singers in the arrangements squeeze him out of any emotive headroom. ~ Eugene Chadbourne