Gary Private sounds like John Mellencamp if he went dance. His four originals were produced by Select Records owner Fred Munao (ex-husband of Donna Summer's manager, Susan Munao), and they have a certain charm, though the title track on Secret Love, which garnered much attention, is a remake of the song "Lonely Hearts." "Lonely Hearts" was a huge Boston hit by the Atlantics, a band managed by Munao. After their major-label debut fizzled, Tom Hauck of the Atlantics composed what should have been an international hit (yet another reason major labels should nurture acts and give them the opportunity to get to the next level). The original 45 rpm version is on Rhino's D.I.Y.: Mass. Ave.: The Boston Scene (1979-83) disc, but this remake has crisper production and heavier drums, and was released on Atlantic Records. The title track, "Secret Love," opens with Thomas Dolby's "She Blinded Me With Science" keyboards by Kenni Hairston and cool guitar blasts from Elliott Randall. A version of "Don't Go Walking in the Dark" features Kenny Aaronson from Stories and Dust on bass. It's a driving pop number with a great hook. He still sounds like John Cougar if he went dance, though, with Van Halen-style keyboards and interesting sound effects from producer Munao. "Caught up in Los Angeles" is a heavy ballad with vivid lyrics splashing in a hot tub, "just friends in a Mercedes Benz." Private is more fun than Mellencamp because he doesn't take it all so seriously. Nifty modulation in "Caught up in Los Angeles," too, and where Fred Munao and the Atlantics missed the mark with that band's major-label disc, the producer and Gary Private pull it off here on these originals. Having a member of Stories performing on a regional classic like "Lonely Hearts" is a nice touch, but the vocal cops the original when Private should have just been himself. It's what the song needed. Fred Pineau's blistering solo from the original can't be duplicated by Robert Mache here, and the keyboard/drum segment goes on a bit too long, but the song still has that something special, and this version is worth hearing. "Waiting for You" ends the EP, and again Private displays instincts that eluded Billy Falcon and other contenders. Secret Love is listenable stuff and gets an A for effort. ~ Joe Viglione