Love is Blue

"The Whirlygig" defines this album produced by the Young Rascals' Dino Danelli, a driving original with Fontana's distinctive voice sounding like a techno Jackie DeShannon, a mesmerizing hook, and dark keyboards and production by Rascals drummer Danelli. It's hard to figure out exactly what a "Whirlygig" is, perhaps some kind of ancient graffito writing by teachers and skywriters. There's a reference to Brian Jones, and if the music doesn't sound like early Rolling Stones, she certainly has their attitude, and Marianne Faithful's to boot. "Spring in Love" is a thumping Nico kind of rock/dance episode, again Danelli adds a real mood. "Your Monkey Slides" slinks in with more drama and less intensity, "When you're done with me where will you land?" Mysterious and inviting stuff. Recorded at Bombshelter Studios in New York, the "bombshelter" mix of the title track is the first of two versions. This is an exquisite rendering of the smash Paul Mauriat and his orchestra's number one instrumental from January, 1968. In both versions here, the Italian Roxanne Fontana sings the song in French with just the title spoken in English. It is intriguing, and it works. "No Exit" is more darkness, Tracy Bonham's sound stripped down to the basics. There's an alternate version of the title track, shorter and more poppy. "Sans Issue," the eighth and final track, also sung in French, is as moody as Pierre Eliane's Litterature album, and at a minute-and-thirty-eight seconds, is another of the gems Roxanne Fontana takes her listener by surprise with. She has a voice that cascades over the dance rhythms and captivating sounds of producer Dino Danelli, who Rascals fans would like to hear more from.