Narada Michael Walden ~ I Cry, I Smile ~ 1977
24/48 vinyl rip. Atlantic Records K 50417. LP made in England.
 
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Side 1
1. I Need Your Love 3:41
2. Better Man 4:19
3. Soul Bird 4:32
4. I Remember 4:30
5. Oneness-Cry 4:57

Side 2
1. Mango Bop 4:43
2. Rainbow-Sky 1:17
3. I Cry, I Smile 5:46
4. Heaven's Just A Step Ahead 4:31
5. So Long 4:22

Sometimes an artist whose gone solo from a group setting begins their career in the same style and stay there-other times they move on after such an attempt. Such as the case with 'I Cry I Smile'.It was released the year after his debut  'Garden of Love Light'.Wheras that debut had a very strong (if somewhat sweetend) jazz-rock fusion approch with a lot of thudding drums and improvisation this recording is Narada focusing strong on the pop/R&B side of his nature. Sometimes some funk,sometimes rock influences but mostly this features a lot of gentle,soulful lite pop taken at medium tempos-certainly that is the case with "I Need Your Love","I Remember" and the album closer "So Long". The presense of Herbie Mann certainly adds his signiture stylings on flute to the airy quality of this music. As far as the other songs go the shuffling "Better Man" is certainly a pleasant listen. Now "Soul Bird" is one of Narada's little masterpieces-a soulfully funky journey through his own spiritual meditations (a common theme to be explored later in Narada's music) as he "waits for his soul to set him free". "Oneness-Cry" features a spiraling guitar solo very much in the Carlos Santana style and is the only instrumental here,and also the only song with a strong fusion reference... - AndreG, rateyourmusic.com