Critic's Review
William Ruhlmann, All Music Guide
Given that it didn't really matter what Shaun Cassidy sounded like, it is to his credit that he could make as creditable a record as his second album, Born Late. Well aware of his position, Cassidy, who had just turned 18 when this album was released, conjured up the elegant pop of his childhood with covers of songs like The Lovin' Spoonful's "Do You Believe in Magic" (which gave him a Top 40 hit) and The Rascals' "A Girl Like You." Best of all, though, was Cassidy's Top Ten recording of Eric Carmen's "Hey Deanie." Not that any of this mattered in the long term: although an instant platinum hit, Born Late was less of a success than its four-month-old predecessor, and Cassidy's reign as a teen dream was already more than half over.
