Cher's recording career took a left turn as the 1970s began. No longer produced by Sonny Bono, she released the striking "Gypsies, Tramps & Thieves," produced by Snuff Garrett, in 1971, and the song rode its odd tempo changes and a strong, smoky lead vocal that was as theatrical as it was confident straight to the radio dial, where it continues to be a frequently featured play on oldies stations. Garrett also produced Cher's "Half-Breed," "Dark Lady," and "The Way of Love" singles, all of which sold Cher's developing character as a brand as much as they were successful pop songs. All of these sides are collected in this concise set of tracks from Cher's "middle period," along with the Guy Roche and Diane Warren-produced "If I Could Turn Back Time" and the Peter Asher-produced "The Shoop Shoop Song (It's in His Kiss)" remake. As Garrett later pointed out, Cher wasn't a great singer so much as she was a great stylist, and in the world of pop and pop culture, that can mean everything. These were the songs that helped establish her as a brand apart. This is where Cher really became Cher. ~ Steve Leggett
