The third time was definitely not the charm for Pat Benatar. While her debut and its follow-up, Crimes of Passion, both offered up hit singles and decent album material, Precious Time keeps the formula going without any of the songwriting magic of the first two records. The energy and momentum are there for the majority of the album, and even on the ballads Benatar’s voice is in fine form. But there’s really nothing new that Benatar has to offer (aside from an amusing cover of the Beatles’ “Helter Skelter”), unlike her next album, which would see Benatar growing by leaps and bounds into the pop-friendly rock of the ’80s. – Rob Theakston
