Cliff Richard

Cliff Richard has utilized a lot of guises and personae as a performer -- '50s rock 'n' roller, '60s pop/rock vocalist, Christian musician, '70s rock vocalist, and, since the 1980s, a general U.K. entertainment institution, with a knighthood. But how many listeners ever thought of him as a singer/songwriter? 31st of February was only ever issued in England, and is built on the work of Cliff Richard as a singer/songwriter. He was never known for his composing during the 1960s, and he proves amazingly good at it here; perhaps he was in the same boat as George Harrison, having stockpiled a brace of excellent original songs that just weren't appropriate for use in his earlier situation, but whatever their chronological origins, the original songs, mixed with some well-chosen outside compositions, make 31st of February a bit stronger than his solo albums of the late '60s and early '70s. It's something of a concept album as well, opening and closing with the same haunting Richard-composed tune, and featuring the same tastefully elegant accompaniment throughout; and there are some self-referential moments to his past, such as the very ornate, string orchestra-dominated remake of "Travelin' Light," sounding a bit like "Eleanor Rigby" or "Martha My Dear"; but most of it is hooked around newer material, such as "There You Go Again" and "Our Love Could Be So Real" (both Richard originals). His singing is expressive and subdued, and the elegance of the sound, including the amazingly restrained use of a string orchestra behind a moderately amplified electric accompaniment, coupled with the unified romantic nature of the songs, call to mind those Jimmy Webb/Richard Harris collaborations A Tramp Shining and The Yard Went on Forever, as well as Sinatra's concept albums of the '50s and early '60s. The best moments here are the reflective acoustic-textured songs, such as "Going Away" and the title track, but it's all pleasing and enjoyable, if rather short-lived as a career move. Richard's next studio album would be I'm Nearly Famous, with the career-redefining hit "Devil Woman." [The set's 2004 reissue featured four bonus tracks.] ~ Bruce Eder, All Music Guide