Disco de Cathy Dennis: “Move to This”

Cathy Dennis' debut, Move to This, is one of those head-scratching anomalies in pop-music history. Ever since the market became albums-driven, four Top 10 singles from one album would usually get the album at least a platinum record. Instead, the singles from Move to This were all over the airwaves in 1990 and 1991, but the record itself barely dented the charts. The album climbed as high as the 50s on Billboard's Albums chart, I think, and a search of the RIAA's database yields no records of gold or platinum awards.

To this day, people remember songs like "Touch Me (All Night Long)", "Just Another Dream" and "Too Many Walls", but the album languishes in the out-of-print wasteland. Perhaps it was Dennis' slightly kitschy Louise Brooks haircut, or the cheesy colour scheme of the album cover.

It's a shame, because Move to This was just an excellent dance/pop record. D-Mob's "C'mon and Get My Love" (rightly included here), with lead vocals by Dennis, already heralded a dance vocalist of remarkable confidence, and "Just Another Dream" was one of those singles that grabbed your ear with a few notes. And "Too Many Walls" remains a radio staple today, with its spritely beat, memorable melodies, and Dennis' knowingly innocent lead vocal making for a perfect pop ballad. The moody Europop of "Tell Me" and the pulsating club beat of the title track are also highlights.

On a musical front, the only drawback is that the uptempo dance songs sound a little similar arrangement-wise, with the heavy club beats and '80s-pop keyboards permeating all the tracks. However, they are certainly no more repetitive than any other club-style dance record, and Dennis' singing is just superlative. So now, almost 15 years after this record was released, I remain baffled as to why it's more a cult hit than the evergreen hits trove it really is.

"Move To This" was a pure expression of pop-dance music, well crafted by Miss Dennis and several producers(including Nile Rodgers, hit producer of 1980's diana album from Miss Ross, and 1984's Like a Virgin from Madonna), this album is pure 90's dance beat! with catchy lyrics and undoubtly overproduced tracks that satisfy music demands on those days. This album espawned 5 singles only 4 of them became hits, the most famous one "Touch Me(All Night Long)" it's a delightful dance track that will keep in many peoples mind as a fast loving pleading song, "Just Another Dream" the first single is not far to sound just the same as the previous but still a joyous joint, "Cmon and Get My Love" her debut single with DMOB release 2 years before, as a Dmob track feat. Cathy... well this is a dance track too and a instant club hit, "Too Many Walls" although many people will feel like Ms. Dennis can't hit a ballad, this song prove them wrong achieving the top 10 of the Billboard, but not grounding Dennis as a holdhouse name, "Everybody Move" a great dance club hit, that sounded better in the remake made of it, included in the single and in some remastered versions of this album, "Move To This" the title track falls in the description of being another dance track that sounds the same as all the hits, but still doesn't bore you, all the other tracks complement this album as a debut that intended more than just another pop dance act, this album is a reminder that not all the dance artist are shallow and empty minded, Cathy Dennis indeed had a lot of talent and though her career as a performer stopped, her influence in UK music still goes on and on, prove of that, is that Dennis is a highly well recognized writer and producer, hitting with smashing singles like Minogue's "Can't Get You Out Of My Head" and S Club's "Never Had A Dream Come True", if you want to hear a clever dance album of the early 90's, this is the one to buy.

This is one of my all-time favorite albums, but I think everyone buying this should be aware that this is not the original 1990 USA release of the album. This is a USA reissue that I suppose was reissued sometime in the early 90's. On this reissue, the original versions of TOUCH ME (ALL NIGHT LONG), TOO MANY WALLS, and EVERYBODY MOVE were replaced with the single versions. The single versions are great no doubt, but the original versions of these songs are definitely worth having. The original version of TOUCH ME was softer and gentler, the original version of TOO MANY WALLS had a more hollow drum sound and was slightly longer, and the original version of EVERYBODY MOVE was VERY different. It's was slower with awesome baseline, and ran slightly over 5 minutes. If you want the original you need to look to Ebay, like I did. If you just want the hits as you heard them on the radio, then this version of the CD is fine. But if you are a hardcore Cathy Dennis fan, then you also need the original album as it was meant to be heard.

I love the cd. Miss Dennis likes to make people move with songs like "Move to this", "c'mon & get my love", "All night long(touch me)" and "Just another dream". These songs have remained my favorite 4.

When I bought it, I was crazy to pay[the price]for 10 songs, but I really wanted the disc. Only 2 days ago, did I record her music onto a mini-disc. It brings back good memories to hear her dance club hits. I'll never tire of her energy packed music and her cute British accent. "Move to this" is better than her follow up cd, "Into the skyline". Cathy Dennis won my heart then and she still wins it now.

The reason why I rated the cd only 4 stars, is because I was disappointed in the sound-alike quality of the first 3 tracks. Cathy should have changed the tone of the background music, to differ the songs altogether. But then again, artists usually take a sound and stay with it for an album or two.

I'll say it again. I love the cd. I think you'll appreciate it too.

Cathy Dennis has always had a great voice, but with this CD, she sets a new level. All the songs are well written and the music is first rate. But Cathy adds that special touch that only truly top notch singers can do.

If you want to listen to a wonderful singer make good songs great, this is the CD to purchase.