Doris Jones' No Way Out

This pleasant collection contains all of the tracks (sans a brief reprise) from soulful singer Doris Jones' 1978 AVI LP Suddenly I'm Alive, as well as two single-only releases from 1976. Ian Levine's signature, Motown-inspired disco production gleams on tracks like the anthemic "No Way Out," the ten-minute-plus opus "Suddenly I'm Alive," and the soothing "Time on My Hands" — all lifted from the aforementioned album. However, it's a frenetic hodgepodge of vibrant strings and horns, kinetic guitar licks and percussion, and grabbing lyrics that make up the collection's most innovative, standout track, "Stranded in the Wilderness." Jones' sincere interpretation and clear diction provide the perfect counterpoint to the tune's frantic arrangement. All in all, No Way Out is a fine collection for lovers of disco and Northern soul alike. While Levine's other productions of the same era for artists such as Evelyn Thomas, Barbara Pennington, and L.J. Johnson sometimes overlap heavily, Jones' understated approach insures that she stands apart from the pack. ~ Justin M. Kantor, Rovi