I mentioned this album when I wrote about Tanita Tikaram in a previous post and the circumstances were the same .. "In 1988 I was living and working in the Highlands of Papua New Guinea, so there's no way I bought this album, or even heard it, when it first came out. It must have been 1990 before it got added to the collection."
I also said that I found similarities in their tone and delivery on some songs, but both women stand alone in their talent.
Toni Childs is classified as a 'rock/pop' artist, but on this album, to me, she comes under 'world music'.
If the recording locations were anything to go by, that's not far from the truth. London, Paris and Swaziland !!
The first 3 songs on the album were all released as singles and really cemented her popularity, particularly in Australia and New Zealand where she charted higher than anywhere else (In NZ, six Top 40 hits and 3 platinum albums). In fact, in 2012 Toni Childs moved from Hawaii and is now living in Byron Bay, Australia.
I have a story about Byron Bay and music. In the late 70s early 80s I was living on the Gold Coast in Queensland, selling carpets! In 1979 we got a call from a place called Music Farm Studios in Byron Bay. They were just getting going and were building recording studios and accomodation so that artists could come and play, relax and create. They needed carpeting in all sorts of places !!
I stayed over for 2 days measuring and advising. It was an interesting 2 days. It became one of the most popular recording studios in the country.
So back to Toni Childs.
Not much more to say from a personal viewpoint, other than she toured as Bob Dylan's opening act for a while ! This was the only album of hers I bought, but in '89 she did a beautiful version of the Jimmy Cliff song 'Many Rivers To Cross' for the soundtrack of "Lost Angels".
Toni still sings and records, but to me this album is the one to have.
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