When I Dream is one of the very best country-pop albums of the 1970s. Every track here is a winner. The rhythmic opener Why Have You Left The One You Left Me For with its handclaps combines the tender and the defiant attitude in a brilliant way. Heart Mender is a type of torch song like the jazzy Cry Me A River. The huge hit Hello I Love You is a catchy mid tempo tune with stirring lyrics and superb vocals.

This is followed by the weepy Talking In Your Sleep, a sad ballad with an impressive arrangement. Panting This Old Time Blue is a swinging, honky-tonk kind of thingie whilst the title track When I Dream is a true gem, perfectly arranged and perfectly delivered. The uptempo number Don't Treat Me Like A Stranger is another highlight of this magnificent album, a vehicle for showcasing Crystal's multifaceted vocal prowess.

The song Too Good To Throw Away has a light pop sound whilst dealing with weighty matters; very good advice for maintaining a successful relationship. The uptempo Wayward Wind gets a haunting treatment and once again the instrumentation excels. Someday Soon is a song of deep yearning that also stands out in my book, and this great album concludes with the melancholy I Still Miss Someone. The style is not traditional country, perhaps rather closer to classy pop music but authentic nevertheless.

TRACKLIST

01. Why Have You Left The One You Left Me For
02. Heart Mender
03. Hello I Love You
04. Talking In Your Sleep
05. Paintin' This Old Town Blue
06. When I Dream
07. Don't Treat Me Like A Stranger
08. Too Good To Throw Away
09. Cry Me A River
10. The Wayward Wind
11. Someday Soon
12. I Still Miss Someone