Light House (album)


Light House is the tenth studio album by Kim Carnes, released in 1986 through EMI. The album reunited Carnes with Val Garay, who produced her albums Mistaken Identity and Voyeur in the early 80s.
The album spawned one hit single, "Divided Hearts", featuring Phillip Ingram on backing vocals, which peaked at No. 79 on the Billboard Hot 100. The follow-up "I'd Lie to You for Your Love " failed to chart. Light House came to be Carnes' last album with EMI America. It was first issued on CD in Japan in 1987 for a very limited time as Toshiba EMI Ltd. CP32-5150 and now commands a very high price. It has been reissued by label Culture Factory on CD in 2014.

Critical reception

In a review of the lead single, Cashbox described "Divided Hearts" as a "rollicking, bouncing pop tune that disguises the pain of the lyric." Billboard described Light House as Carnes' "most accessible" album since 1981, but opined that there was "no follow-up" to rival "Bette Davis Eyes". In a separate review, Billboard called "I'd Lie to You for Your Love" a "rock stomper with mega-mandolin accompaniment and country-folk harmonies." In a retrospective review of Carnes' career for PopMatters, Christian John Wikane described "Black and White" as "a stunning showcase for Jerry Peterson, whose saxophone solo sparkled like a shooting star sailing through the night sky."

Promotion

"Divided Hearts" entered the Billboard Hot 100 at No. 93 on May 24, 1986. The single spent five consecutive weeks on the chart, peaking at No. 79. "I'd Lie to You for Your Love" was released as the second and final single in July 1986.
In June 1986, Carnes performed "I'd Lie to You for Your Love" and "Black and White" live on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson.

Track listing

  1. "Divided Hearts" – 4:09
  2. "I'd Lie to You for Your Love (And That's the Truth)" – 3:43
  3. "Black and White" – 5:19
  4. "Piece of the Sky" – 3:25
  5. "You Say You Love Me " – 2:48
  6. "Dancin' at the Lighthouse" – 3:52
  7. "Love Me Like You Never Did Before" – 4:43
  8. "Along with the Radio" – 4:51
  9. "Only Lonely Love" – 4:00
  10. "That's Where the Trouble Lies" – 3:30

Personnel

Production