Lani Hall "Sun Down Lady" 1972

                I have been looking for this album for quite a while. About 10 years ago when I was on my first huge Sergio Mendes kick, I heard that Lani had an interesting solo album that she completed after leaving his group. It had always been on my list to pick up, but I never found a copy that was worth purchasing. I particularly remember one occasion when I found a seemingly decent copy with a very nice cover, only to be disappointed by the scratched record inside. The search continued, and like a good little record collector, I kept my eyes peeled. A few weeks ago I finally found a copy that looked nice and I snatched it up. I have been very happy about what I’ve heard and in some ways, am happy that it took so long to find it. 

                I wasn’t expecting it, but there is a lot of Elton John inspired material on this record. There are two actual covers (Tiny Dancer and Come Down In Time), and one song that Elton covered on Tumbleweed Connection (Love Song). Tiny Dancer is pretty wonderful to me. I used to love the original until it became way too overplayed. Lani’s cover changes the beat some by giving it a more jogging pace. Right before the chorus, there is a little piano break down that is not in the original. It takes the momentum out of the song only to throw you back into that great chorus. Here, Lani’s vocals are doubled just like they used to be on the old Mendes records. Her version really helped revive my interest in this song.

                Other highlights include a heartbreaking cover of Cat Steven’s “How Can I Tell You.”  I was folding laundry when I first heard this song, and no foolin’, I teared up and had to stop for a bit.  I have really become a softy in the early days of my middle agedness.  For some reason the lyrics and the tone of her voice just cut me. The Cat Steven’s version never had the same effect on me. I guess that says a lot about how wonderful Lani Hall is. These were the lyrics that really got into me. 

Whoever I’m with, I’m always, talking to you

I’m always talking to you, and I’m sad that you can’t hear.

                A few other songs of interest are the Lani Hall penned “You.”  This has a cloudy/dreamy feel and is really the kind of song you could only find on a LP recorded in the early 70’s.  My guess is that “Sun Down” is supposed to be a centerpiece of the record, but doesn’t totally knock my socks off.  It has some mild dueting with Herb Alpert (her husband and producer of the album), but I was surprised how much the vocals were out of sync. It’s hard for me to see what they were going for, especially when I think of how detail oriented the work of both of them are. Lastly, I really like the vocal only version of “Wherever I May Find Him” which closes the album. This was an old Simon and Garfunkel tune that Lani does quite well. I especially like hearing her sing the lyric “And when you ran to me, your cheeks flushed with the night.” It reminds me of how wonderful it was to meet someone you loved late on a cold night. 

Tones: Check out the amazing synthesizer on “Ocean Song.” It sounds like a comet was flying by, so Herb Alpert recorded it and put in on the record. I need to start going to some synthesizer classes because I sure don’t know which ones make what sounds. I just know I like ‘em when they do, especially when they are used this tastefully. 

Cover Note: Okay, I’m going to be weird on this one.  For some reason I really noticed Lani’s eyebrow as I looked at the cover. It seems like the kind of thing that would have gotten photo shopped out or softened in a modern picture. I like that it just is what it is. It’s her eyebrow and it’s dark and a little wispy. It’s exactly what it needs to be.

Price paid: Finally, I found a copy... and it was only $2.00!  Like I said earlier, I have had trouble finding copies of this, so I was really excited to find it, and in the cheap bin no less. It would be reasonable to pay $5.00 or $6.00 as well. 

Bottom Line: I have been really into this record for the past week or so, but my wife was a little ambivalent towards it. She did like the “Tiny Dancer” cover though. At this point in my life, I am well aware that I have an above average interest in Lani Hall’s work in general. I kind of like it that way though. It’s always fun to have some records where you see their charm because you really worked for it. If I had found this record earlier I might not have been able to appreciate some of the Elton John (especially the Tumbleweed Connection) influences. This album is extremely decent and was worth my wait in finding it.