Peggy Lee Close Enough For Love (1979)

Peggy Lee's 1979 album Close Enough for Love is a disco-themed take on her classic themes of love and romance. "You" is a light, mellow funk ballad, while the standard "Just One of Those Things" becomes a propulsive dance anthem. Those looking for songs similar to Lee's trademark "Fever" will want to add the smoldering, sexy "Easy Does It" to their collection. Peggy Lee's voice sounds a bit depressed on this album, indicating, perhaps, an unfamiliarity with the new musical trappings. But that quality also gives the album's more straightforward numbers, like "Rain Sometimes" and "Come in From the Rain" (sounding like Wings), a moving, somber tone. An example of a dated album, but one that is a ripe for a rediscovery.

In 1988, Peggy Lee was persuaded to leave her casual retirement by the promise of recording some recently unearthed Harold Arlen songs. Her voice was far less attractive and vivacious than it had been even in the '70s, and health problems forced her to record everything from a wheelchair; what's more, when she heard the results, she refused to let the record be released for another three years. Nevertheless, Love Held Lightly is an important album, not just because it saves a few Arlen compositions from the brink of disaster, but also because Lee's unpretty voice serves this material well…

A collection drawn from Peggy Lee's two lengthy stints with Capitol Records and from the time she recorded for Decca Records in between, this generous disc includes the 1948 smash "Manana," "Golden Earrings," "Don't Smoke in Bed," and her definitive, sultry version of "Fever." The end result is a nice introduction to this wonderfully vibrant and nuanced singer that brings her work for both labels together, and the difference in quality is negligible. It's a nice place to start.