"Physical"
became such a monster hit -- not just a hit, but a pop-culture phenomenon that was impossible to escape -- that it became difficult to view its accompanying album as anything other than a conduit for the single. The thing was,
Physical
was a damn good record, in many ways one of
Olivia Newton-John
's very best. Picking up where
Totally Hot
and
Xanadu
left off,
skillfully balances catchy yet mellow dance cuts with immaculately crafted
adult contemporary pop
ballads
. The title track, of course, is the best example of the dance side, but
"Landslide,"
"Make a Move on Me,"
"Promise (Dolphin Song)"
illustrate that
wasn't a one-hit record at all -- if anything, they hold up better than the big hit. There is some filler here -- none of her records were free from that curse -- but it's well-made filler and helps make
one of the most enjoyable albums of her career. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine