by Bruce Eder
The melodramatic, weepy title track of Don't Cry Out Loud was a much-needed hit at a time when Manchester's sales were in decline, but it's actually the weak link in an otherwise delightfully frothy set. &Shine Like You Should& opens the proceedings on an effervescent note, and the optimistic &it's all good& philosophy pervades the rest of the album. Marvin Gaye producer Leon Ware was the springboard for some of Manchester's best ever songwriting: His soul/R&B was just the shot in the arm she needed, and the results are as good as 1975's Melissa. Don't Cry Out Loud represents Manchester's last hurrah as a full-on singer/songwriter.