Gino Soccio - Outline (1979) [Reissue 1994]

Gino Soccio's debut album, Outline, is a perfect example of an album that fails to make good on the promise of a killer single. The single in question is "Dancer," an ultra-infectious Eurodisco classic that soared to number one on the dance charts in both the U.S. and Europe. While "Dancer" boasts a groove that simply won't quit, the rest of the LP is merely decent. Outline isn't a bad album; "Dance to Dance" and "The Visitors" (both of which underscore the Italian artist's appreciation of German disco heavyweight Giorgio Moroder) are perfunctory Euro-dance numbers, but they are hardly in a class with "Dancer" (which takes up half of side one). Meanwhile, "There's a Woman" blends high-tech Eurodisco with Beatles-minded Brit-pop; the tune falls short of being a gem, although it's catchy and interesting. Outline has more plusses than minuses, but the fact remains that "Dancer" is the only thing on the album that can honestly be described as essential.