This was Laura's 5th album for Atlantic and was released back in 1987. This album came hot off the heels of her chart flop Hold Me. After departing from Jack White (he produced her first 3 albums) to go with Harold Faltemyer on that album, she again had several different producers for this one. One of the producers was the hit making team known as Stock Aitken Waterman (SAW for short). These guys were HUGE in the UK and helped make Rick Astley, Kylie Minogue, Banananarama and other artists, stars all over the world. There are 2 songs on this album by them. Shattered Glass (which was the first single) and Whatever I Do, Wherever I Go (which was a hit for Hazell Dean). The rest of the album is mostly produced by David Kershenbaum.

This is my favorite Laura Branigan album. I like mostly all the songs on this disc. Sadly, this would be the last album of hers that would spawn any kind of Top 40 chart action.


1. Over Love - A bittersweet ballad that is pure power pop ballad if there ever was one.


2. Shadow of Love - Another one of Laura's great trademark ballads. Pretty much along the lines of Over Love.


3. Angels Calling - A nice rocker with a funky guitar thrown in. This time Laura is singing the praises of her lover and how he is all that and a bag of chips


4. Meaning Of The Word - Another ballad, haunting though. Nice moody song. Song seems to be about questioning the relationship her and her lover are in.


5. Power Of Love - Here we go. The only Top 30 hit off this album (and, incidentally, her last). This oft-covered song has been done by everybody from Jennifer Rush (who wrote the song) to Air Supply to, most recently, Celine Dion (who took her version to #1). THIS is THE version, folks. This song is simply produced, so it does not take away from her powerhouse vocals. I get goosebumps everytime I hear it. To this day, people who aren't LB fans say that they prefer this version to Celine's. She may sound like she is straining to hit those notes, but that is what makes this song great. It's rawness.


6. Shattered Glass - This was the first single released from this album (#48). This is one of the first SAW produced gems on the album. My absolute fave. Great trademark 80s synths and Euro pop sound. Drum machines etc. Hi-NRG if you will. And of course, Laura's incredible vocals. Singing about how she's not taking anymore and that this person can go scratch, basically. It was released around the same time that SAW were getting popular over in the states, that is why I could never understand why this song did not do better than it did. Oh well. Life's little mysteries.


7. Whatever I Do - The 2nd offering from the great SAW team. Nothing atom-splitting here folks. Same type of production. Hi-NRG Euro pop dance ditty. This song was covered by Hazell Dean around the same time. This song and the Shattered Glass are my 2 faves from this album


8. Spirit Of Love - An uptempo toe tapper that is pop/rock. With a nice angel-esque choir thing going on in the beginning of the song. Really flexes Laura's vocals as well.


9. Name Game - Ok....I am ALL for a cover/remake, but COME ON!! What the HELL is THIS??? I never understood, out of ALL the covers she could have recorded, that she went with this one. She must have owed somebody BIG TIME or something, cause this song is just STUPID!! Don't get me wrong, Laura could sing the phone book and I will be in love, but this song does NOT belong on this album. The only major dud here.


10. Touch - Another rocker for Ms B. I had read somewhere that this is the type of music that she really loved to make. No big surprise that this album has more than it's share of these type of rock-edged songs. Laura getting hot with her lover


11. Cry Wolf - A beautiful piano-driven ballad from Laura (a song that was also covered by Stevie Nicks a few years later). This song is GREAT! I dare anyone to listen to it without getting weepy or having chills get sent down their spine. Laura telling her lover that she's not going to be there anymore for them after being done wrong so many times. GOOD FOR YOU....YOU GO GIRL!!


12. Statue The Rain - This ballad is really pretty and has a nice slow to midtempo melody to it. It was only available as a bonus track on the cd. Would have fit nicely at A/C radio stations if it was released as a single. Again, Laura's vocals shine.


Touch is a really great album if you like HI-NRG dance , rock-edge power pop and beautiful ballads all in one place. It is a shame that this album never went Gold (just on the strength of Power of Love alone, it should have done better than it did). Do yourself a favor and pick this one up. You won't be disappointed.

Recommended: Yes