Album review Doll By Doll – Grand Passion (Magnet, UK)

One of the few US reviews of Doll by Doll, preserved as a transcript on the author's site. Silverman writes that the virtually unknown band have been releasing near-classic albums for four years for an indifferent public, and that this will not change without a big Magnet campaign. He praises Leven's melodies, which sound classic at once, and the voice to match, compares “Cool Skies” and “Lonely Kind of Show” with Steely Dan, Roxy Music and early Dylan/Beatles, singles out “Natural” and the war image “City of Light”, and finds the “Under My Thumb” cover credible. His only objection: Leven's humourless pursuit of the “grand passion” grows tiring and borders on melodrama. Tone: strongly positive; number 6 on his 1982 year-end list.