One of
Dan Hartman
's most essential solo albums came in 1984, when the late singer/composer signed with
MCA
and produced
I Can Dream About You
with
Jimmy Iovine
. This is primarily a pop/rock album, but it's a pop/rock album with a fair amount of urban contemporary/dance-pop appeal. Though
Hartman
was a member of a major '70s rock act,
the Edgar Winter Group
, he also had strong R&B and disco credentials -- 1979's
"Instant Replay"
and 1980's
"Relight My Fire"
both received a lot of airplay on R&B stations. And this excellent album finds
showing his enthusiasm for R&B on pop/rock gems that range from the hit title song and the anthemic
"We Are the Young"
to the
Motown
-tinged
"Name of the Game"
and the new wave-ish
"Electricity,"
which he co-wrote with
Labelle
graduate
Nona Hendryx
. Most of the songs, however, were written by
and partner
Charlie Midnight
, who proves to be as valuable to
as
Iovine
-- a studio heavyweight who is known for his work with everyone from
Bruce Springsteen
to
Stevie Nicks
.
,
Midnight
, and
all do their part to make
the focused, consistently rewarding album that it is. ~ Alex Henderson