The dance-pop market can be incredibly fickle, and no one knows that better than
Nocera. In 1986, the singer enjoyed a major dance-pop/urban contemporary hit with a dreamy gem titled "Summertime, Summertime." Based on the single's popularity, it was logical to assume that she would be around for awhile. But
Nocera didn't have much longevity, and her debut album,
Over the Rainbow (which came out in 1987), didn't enjoy as enthusiastic a response as the "Summertime, Summertime" single.
Nocera doesn't have much of a voice -- her voice is wafer-thin, and no one would accuse her of having massive chops. But one doesn't have to have a fantastic voice to provide worthwhile dance-pop. This is a generally competent effort, although "Summertime, Summertime" is the only thing on the LP that can honestly be called a gem. Tracks like "Without You" and "Let's Go" are catchy, pleasant dancefloor ditties, but they fall short of the excellence of "Summertime, Summertime." When Sleeping Bag folded in the 1990s,
Over the Rainbow went out of print -- although "Summertime, Summertime" was included on various dance-pop compilations in the U.S. and Europe as well as Latin America. ~ Alex Henderson