The 1981 Listening Post - Pamela Moore - Take a Look

 Reviewed by Paul J Zickler

Released: 1981 Pamela Moore Take A Look Genre: Pop Rating: 2.75 out of 5 Highlights: I Lose My Mind Take A Look So, Spotify lists the artist as Queensrÿche’s Pamela Moore, and the album cover pictured refers to her as Queensrÿche’s “Sister Mary.” Turns out Pamela was the lead vocalist on one song from their breakthrough rock opera, Operation: Mindcrime, where she played the role of “Sister Mary.” That was in 1988, but from that point forward, the Seattle-based singer would forever be known as the girl who sang that one Queensrÿche song. But this album, Take A Look, came out in 1981. Who was Pamela before she was Queensrÿche’s Pamela? As is so often the case, the labeling here is misleading. Metalheads cuing up track one, I Lose My Mind, must have been completely befuddled by the organ and piano drenched Carole King style tune they heard. I can almost hear the collective WTF. Which is too bad because I Lose My Mind is a decent song, one of a few good songs here. Granted, the music is much closer to Carly Simon than Dokken, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t some nice moments. Pamela Moore is definitely a good singer, which is why she ended up getting that guest slot with Queensrÿche and becoming a completely different artist eight years later. The clear highlight is the title track, a mid-tempo lite jazz bop reminiscent of Manhattan Transfer that features some tasty, era-specific saxophone and a delightfully breathless vocal. It’s followed by a clear lowlight, You’re Perfect, a ballad that aspires to be Marilyn McCoo & Billy Davis Jr, but achieves only Quickly Canceled Sitcom Theme status. Moore & Co. are simply too white to pull off this style. The requisite cover, Brenton Wood’s Gimme Little Sign, suffers the same fate. Pamela is game for anything, and her background singers give it their all, but the band sounds like they’re playing in an Elks Club lounge. Overall it feels like an OK debut album from a promising young Seattle vocalist destined to play nightclubs and maybe eventually a long term gig at some casino in Carson City. She’s got a really nice voice, but who’s interested in a singer who doesn’t write her own songs and favors MOR pop in 1981? I guess the answer is a heavy prog band looking for a guest vocalist seven years later, and for that, Pamela Moore must thank the metal gods.