by Bruce Eder
Something to Believe In was the result of previous album Heartbeat's success, a great-selling comeback for Curtis Mayfield in his own style, fully in his control. The album's sales success was limited, but its musical triumphs were myriad -- the beautiful &Something to Believe In,& an extended track that is one of the most personal and ambitious records in Mayfield's whole output; the exquisite solo remakes of the Impressions hits &It's Alright& and &Never Let Me Go&; and the gorgeous ballad &Never Stop Loving Me,& a sensual soul outing that provides a superb finish to the album. Strangely enough, the commercial single side &Love Me, Love Me Now& is one of the less impressive sides, on a production or composition level, among the seven tracks here. [A 1999 reissue by the British Sequel label combined Something to Believe In with 1979's Heartbeat.]