Christopher Cross' self-designated "pop 'n' roll" falls midway along an artistic continuum that has Steely Dan at its apex and Air Supply at its nadir. Cross isn't a storyteller, a visionary or an intellectual, but a traditional pop romantic with a gift for solid tunes and an ear for polished studio textures. Another Page, like Cross' multiplatinum debut album, is likable most of all for its sound. Beautifully crafted by Cross and producer-keyboardist Michael Omartian, the arrangements sparkle with electric keyboards that silhouette the singer's high, sweet tenor. And Cross' guitar work, especially the majestic solo that closes "Words of Wisdom," is crisp and incisive.

Lyrically, Another Page is a suite of songs about unrequited love, and with the exception of the peppy, strutting "All Right" and the Eagles-like gambling song "Deal 'Em Again," the LP's mood is sweetly mopey. Three tunes – "Talking in My Sleep," "What Am I Supposed to Believe" (a duet with Karla Bonoff in which the two voices are barely distinguishable) and the richly orchestrated "Words of Wisdom"–have strong narrative melodies that carry Cross' serviceable but sudsy lyrics. However, in such weaker numbers as "Think of Laura," "Nature of the Game" and "Long World," Cross' obsessive self-pity begins to cloy. Another Page is the pop-record equivalent of an expensive soap opera. The beautiful production and fine performances can only go so far in covering up a one-dimensional script. (RS 393)

STEPHEN HOLDEN