Cyndi Lauper TRUE COLORS Portrait Records OR 40313 1986 1st Edition NEAR MINT

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Cyndi Lauper TRUE COLORS Portrait Records OR 40313 1986 1st Edition NEAR MINT

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• Manufactured By – Portrait Records
• Manufactured By – CBS Inc.
• Pressed By – Columbia Records Pressing Plant, Pitman
• Recorded At – Power Station
• Recorded At – The Hit Factory
• Mixed At – Power Station
• Mastered At – Europadisk
• Mastered At – Sterling Sound

• Backing Vocals [Background Vocals] – Angela Clemmons Patrick* (tracks: A4, A5), Cyndi Lauper (tracks: A4 to B2, B5), Ellie Greenwich (tracks: A5), Lennie Petze (tracks: B5)
• Bass – Neil Jason (tracks: A2, A4, B1, B4)
• Computer [Jam Box] – Cyndi Lauper (tracks: B2), Jimmy Bralower (tracks: B5)
• Computer [Jam Box], Percussion – Jimmy Bralower (tracks: A4)
• Drum Machine [Linn Drums] – Jimmy Bralower
• Drums – Anton Fig (tracks: A2, B1)
• Guest [Special Guest Operator] – Pee Wee Herman (tracks: B4)
• Guest [Special Guest Vocalist], Vocals – Aimee Mann (tracks: B3), Billy Joel (tracks: A2)
• Guest [Special Guest Vocalists], Vocals – The Bangles* (tracks: A1)
• Guitar – Adrian Belew (tracks: B1), John McCurry (tracks: A2 to A4, B3 to B5), Nile Rodgers (tracks: A1), Rick Derringer (tracks: A5, B3), Robert Holmes (tracks: B1)
• Hair [Hair Colorist] – Ralph Scibelli
• Hair, Make-Up – Patrick Lucas
• Keyboards – Jeff Bova (tracks: A1, A3, A5, B3 to B5), Peter Wood (2) (tracks: A2, A4, A5, B1)
• Keyboards [Additional Keyboards] – Peter Wood (2) (tracks: A3)
• Mastered By – George Marino
• Percussion – Jimmy Bralower (tracks: A4, B2), Lennie Petze (tracks: B2)
• Photography By [Album Cover] – Annie Leibovitz
• Photography By [Inner Sleeve] – Bruce Ando
• Sounds [Additional Head Sounds] – Jon Goldberger (tracks: B2)
• Stylist – Laura Wills
• Synthesizer [Bass Synth] – Peter Wood (2) (tracks: B2)
• Voice [Emulator Voice] – Cyndi Lauper (tracks: B5)

Grammy-nominated double-platinum set includes title track plus "Change of Heart"

     Cyndi Lauper could've easily played up the independent wild-child pop persona she established on her breakthrough debut until the trend faded. Instead, on her superb sophomore effort, the charismatic artist opts for a more mature and creatively ambitious program, inviting big-name guests and pursuing deeper instrumental textures on a set that goes far beyond the well-known title track. True Colors is a vocal tour de force, an expressive statement on which Lauper showcases singing steeped in emotion, phrasing, and earnestness.

     An all-star cast aids Lauper in shaping what remains a colossally underrated record. Billy Joel (vocals), Adrian Belew (guitar), the Bangles (vocals), Aimee Mann (vocals), Nile Rodgers (guitar), and Rick Derringer (guitar) are among the guests. So is Pee Wee Herman, whose telephone operator role at the conclusion of "911" speaks to the fact that Lauper didn't abandon her whimsical nature even as she pressed forward. Cajun accents, soulful motifs ("What's Going On"), and joyous covers of traditional fare ("Iko Iko") keep the album pleasantly varied and accessibly offbeat.

     Of course, Lauper also turns in, with "True Colors," what's arguably her career-defining moment, the chart-topping single radiating with gorgeous elegance and graceful phrasing that forced audiences to regard the performer in a different light. For her boldness, Lauper was rewarded with two Grammy nominations and a song that has since been covered by artists such as Phil Collins and appeared as the theme for the 1988 Olympic Games and 2003 Rugby World Cup.

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     There were a few years in the mid-'80s when one couldn't go out for a cup of coffee without encountering Cyndi Lauper in one form or another. Her videos were playing constantly on MTV, her music was everywhere on the radio, and, best of all, children were even dressing up as Cyndi for Halloween. In retrospect, it was a Lauper-ish time but it was all over quite quickly; in fact, the period in the ultra-limelight didn't even span the period covered by two album releases, which means that this follow-up to her smash debut album was relegated to the also-ran pile, with sad results such as only one sort-of hit single (the title track) and nobody apparently interested in imitating the skirt she wore on the back cover photo, which seems like it is made of slashed-up concert posters. Kind of a shame since so much love and attention went into this album. Guest stars and high-dollar session musicians abound, including other '80s icons such as the Bangles and the manic Pee Wee Herman, who provides a great little answering-machine bit at the end of "911." Lauper is a fantastic vocalist, meaning that any record producer worth hiring would be happy to dream up endless settings for her. This album is nothing if not ambitious, and some of the stretches really pay off, such as the ultimately endearing cover of Marvin Gaye's "What's Going On." Other aspects date badly. For example, highly reverberated and artificial sounding drums and keyboards were really popular at the time, but a vocalist with a clear voice such as Lauper sounds much better in the context of real instruments with their warmer sounds. When it comes to tunes such as the nice Cajun number "The Faraway Nearby," drums should have been turned way down and other instrumental colors brought up. Despite these sorts of problems, there really wasn't that much music recorded by this artist during her most popular period, so fans will no doubt want to own it all. (Allmusic)