Nancy Wilson - I've Never Been To Me (1977)

I've Never Been to Me reunites Nancy Wilson with arranger Gene Page, Barry White's longtime partner in the Love Unlimited empire and her collaborator on 1974's underrated All in Love Is Fair. The second time around proves a disappointment, however, undermined by overbaked, pop-inspired production and lackluster material. Page and co-arranger Garry Sherman wrap Wilson in a gauzy, sleepily mellow sound that's more tepid than sophisticated, and the songs don't help -- covers like "All by Myself" are beneath the talents of all involved. The exception is the title cut: Wilson's rendition predates by a few months Charlene's smash hit version, and she avoids the over the top histrionics that composer Ron Miller's melodramatic lyrics so often seem to inspire, stripping away layers of camp to reveal the song's unflinching intimacy and emotional depth.