by Stephen Thomas Erlewine
The wait between Riff Raff and its follow-up was a full six years, so it isn't surprising that Closer to the Flame finds Dave Edmunds abandoning the new wave flourishes of his Jeff Lynne productions for a straightforward root rock sensibility. The record still suffers from a stiff production -- the rhythms are extremely mannered, and the sound of the record is slightly sterile -- but Edmunds manages to tear into a handful of driving rockers, including Mickey Jupp's &Don't Talk to Me& and &Stockholm,& and his version of Al Anderson's &Never Take the Place of You& is his most affecting performance in years.