Loggins Messina Sacd

This debut album was credited to Kenny Loggins with Jim Messina because the project had begun as a solo record by Loggins being produced by Messina. By the time it was finished, however, Messina had written or co-written six of the 11 songs, contributed "first guitar," and shared lead vocals on many tracks. Messina's "Nobody But You" and "Vahevala," co-written by Loggins' second cousin, Dave Loggins, were the singles chart entries, but today everybody remembers the album for Loggins' "House at Pooh Corner," which had earned Loggins his record contract, and "Danny's Song," which Anne Murray took into the Top Ten the following year. The only thing wrong with this record is that it was too perfect - with their infectious blend of country, folk, rock, and Caribbean music, L&M started out at the top of their game, and although they were able to match some of the material and performances on later records, the team never got any better than this.

This is every inch a follow-up to Loggins & Messina, including a '50s rock & roll pastiche in the style of "Your Mama Don't Dance" called "My Music" that hit number 16 as a single. Other notable material included Jim Messina's island-rock anthem "Lahaina" and one of Kenny Loggins' sensitive but generic ballads, typically called "A Love Song." But then, the charm of L&M was that they could get away with something this sappy. Balance is the key to L&M albums, and it's the chief talent (among many) that producer Messina brings to them. Here, as on L&M's first two albums, he achieves a musical flow that's exhilarating, and the record is only denied a "finest" rating because the quality of the songwriting doesn't quite match those LPs.

The second full-fledged Loggins And Messina album found the duo in good form as songwriters, with Messina turning in the sparkling "Thinking Of You," and the two collaborating on the hit single "Your Mama Don't Dance" and "Angry Eyes." Their backup band was anchored by multi-instrumentalist Al Garth, and also featured keyboardist Michael Omartian and Poco steel guitarist Rusty Young.