Music to Make Horror Movies By: Audrey Landers, “Dallas Feels Like Home”

Coming full circle is usually a good thing. Well, unless you are talking my stomach after the holidays. Not so good, that!

As ‘Miri’ on Battlestar

Fans of gorgeously talented blondes, though, have been giddy about the deserved resurgence of Audrey Landers, whose easy going glow always made her seem like one of the sweetest divas that television had to offer. Landers, of course, is best known for her 8 year run as songstress Afton Cooper on the original Dallas and for her committed hoofing in the glitzy film version of A Chorus Line. But, this eclectic wonder has earned her genre stripes with performances in such giddy exploitation epics as Deadly Twins (85), Getting Even (86) and Ghost Writer (89). Memorable guest shots on shows like Battlestar Galactica and The Hitchhiker and a role in the little seen horror comedy Highcliff Manor earn her howls of terror fiend delight, as well.

The popularity of TNT’s Dallas remount has benefited, greatly, by including Landers in the mix and this revival has, seemingly, inspired a beautiful new recording from Landers entitled, appropriately, Dallas Feels Like Home.

Full of lush 80’s style balladry and pop music magic, this disc contains 11 songs all either written or arranged by Landers and her talented musician son, Daniel. Here, lush story songs (the touching, fun Still Dreams to Dream) stand beside powerfully pretty declarations of survival (Through the Eyes of Winter). Monte Carlo is a sprinkling of exotic Beach Boys magic while Let Me Down Gently is one of the simplest odes of surrender ever committed to tape. Soap opera fanatics, of course, will thrill to the subtly implied passions of Steal Me Away, the popular song that Landers wrote for her initial Dallas stint. The full version is heard, for the first time, on this recording.

Of course, the professionalism of this venture should come as no surprise to Landers’ devoted followers. She maintained a successful singing career, with great overseas’ popularity, for decades.