by Andrew Hamilton
The quality of Johnny Taylor's recordings hasn't suffered much since the major labels abandoned him for younger, fresher meat. &Back Street Love Affair& is southern soul magic, a gripping ballad depicting the multiple hearts-in-a-tangle theme; he updates &Lady Soul& popularized by the Temptations, and the the Staple Singers' smash &Respect Yourself,& outdoing Pop Staples on vocals. The lyrics are downtrodden but &Poor Boy Blues& employs a lively beat for Taylor to wail about his woes. Real Love has an abundance of shufflers, including the title track &Changin' My Life With Love& and the best of the bunch &Huntin' Just Ain't No Fun.& He tries for a '90s &Disco Lady& with &Sexy Dancer& but it lacks the dynamics of his '70s classic.