Lesley Gore - Someplace Else Now (1972)

Like many of the teen idols of the '60s, Lesley Gore's biggest challenge was adaptability; trying to shorn that sugary, bubblegum image that made her an entertainer in an attempt to be regarded as an artist. Taking a chance on helping to hone her comeback, Berry Gordy signed Gore to his MoWest imprint for this session of songs. Making the transition proves difficult for Gore, as it had been years since a record of new material emerged, and most of her fan base had matured past the sound that made her a star. Sounding similar at times to Carole King (whose Tapestry record, released a year earlier, no doubt played a major influence on Gore's artistic direction with Someplace Else Now) and Dusty Springfield, this is mainly a blue-eyed soul session with no real standout performances. This is not to say that Gore's vocals or the performances are bad, they're just not as memorable as many of her contemporaries of the time. Gore would return in much finer form a few years later, reuniting with Quincy Jones for 1975's Love Me by Name.