The Album Review Club - Week #195 (page 1310) - A New World Record - ELO

This nomination is an album that's just typical of many made in the 1970s - great production, superb musicians, great songs, great melodies and just really well put together. Of course, it always helps when the album starts with one of the greatest rock records of all time.

It's Free - Heartbreaker.

The opening track, Wishing Well, needs absolutely no introduction. One of the greatest rock records of all time sung by the impeccable Paul Rodgers. Of all the great rock singers, I always think his voice is like a Ferrari in 2nd gear - slightly raw, plenty of power and you know a bit raw, but silky smooth and able to slip up the gears and still sound incredible. Sadly at this point, the band were starting to fall apart with the bassist (Andy Fraser) leaving and guitarist Paul Kossoff struggling with addiction and had to be replaced.

After the high of Wishing Well, it then moves into Come Together In The Morning. A great love song and that bass just drives it along. I'm not sure if the song is filled with love or lust but either way it's a classic.

Travellin' In Style is a great blues/rock track which is very easy on the ear. It's just a really well put together track and one of my favourites on the album.

Heartbreaker sees it moving more back to a 'hard rock' style and again, the backing to Rodgers voice is sublime. This is a band that knows when to stand back and when to move forward. And at all times, they are really tight.

Muddy Water is similar in style to Travellin' but also seems to bring in a hint of CSNY on the vocals maybe? Either way, it's another rock solid track. Common Mortal Man is just a great rock track. Starts quiet and builds up. Easy On My Soul is similar, just a really well produced classic rock track. Seven Angels ends the album and it feels like it's going back towards Wishing Well.

Whilst the album isn't ground-breaking, it's just one of those classic rock albums that ticks all the boxes - it's just a really good example of classic blues/rock done incredibly well. It's not over the top, it doesn't beg for attention!

So, why have I nominated this album? Partly it's because I was introduced to Free with - of course - All Right Now. Eventually, listening to my old clock radio and listening to the 70s shows on medium wave as a kid in the 80s, I heard this Wishing Well song and was just blown away by it. As soon as I heard it, I knew it was a classic.

However, I never really heard much from Free apart from the singles. Once Spotify came up, I was then able to dig into their albums and it was like walking into an old gold mine - just stacks of classic rock songs everywhere! Over the years I've listened to more of their work and they just seem to be a very underrated band. If I want to listen to a good rock album, I'll frequently turn to this.

Rodgers is a master rock vocalist and the band is really, really tight. They can rock when they need to but just tone it back as well. And I think that's the key - you know they can blister the guitar, scream etc but they don't. That's what they do so well for me. Quite simply, they are master rock musicians. They don't go 'over the top' because they don't need to - Rodgers barely breaks a sweat with his vocal chords across the album but you know he's bristling and ready to go if he wants to.

I hope you enjoy this album.
 
GoatersLeftShin said:
This nomination is an album that's just typical of many made in the 1970s - great production, superb musicians, great songs, great melodies and just really well put together. Of course, it always helps when the album starts with one of the greatest rock records of all time.

It's Free - Heartbreaker.

The opening track, Wishing Well, needs absolutely no introduction. One of the greatest rock records of all time sung by the impeccable Paul Rodgers. Of all the great rock singers, I always think his voice is like a Ferrari in 2nd gear - slightly raw, plenty of power and you know a bit raw, but silky smooth and able to slip up the gears and still sound incredible. Sadly at this point, the band were starting to fall apart with the bassist (Andy Fraser) leaving and guitarist Paul Kossoff struggling with addiction and had to be replaced.

After the high of Wishing Well, it then moves into Come Together In The Morning. A great love song and that bass just drives it along. I'm not sure if the song is filled with love or lust but either way it's a classic.

Travellin' In Style is a great blues/rock track which is very easy on the ear. It's just a really well put together track and one of my favourites on the album.

Heartbreaker sees it moving more back to a 'hard rock' style and again, the backing to Rodgers voice is sublime. This is a band that knows when to stand back and when to move forward. And at all times, they are really tight.

Muddy Water is similar in style to Travellin' but also seems to bring in a hint of CSNY on the vocals maybe? Either way, it's another rock solid track. Common Mortal Man is just a great rock track. Starts quiet and builds up. Easy On My Soul is similar, just a really well produced classic rock track. Seven Angels ends the album and it feels like it's going back towards Wishing Well.

Whilst the album isn't ground-breaking, it's just one of those classic rock albums that ticks all the boxes - it's just a really good example of classic blues/rock done incredibly well. It's not over the top, it doesn't beg for attention!

So, why have I nominated this album? Partly it's because I was introduced to Free with - of course - All Right Now. Eventually, listening to my old clock radio and listening to the 70s shows on medium wave as a kid in the 80s, I heard this Wishing Well song and was just blown away by it. As soon as I heard it, I knew it was a classic.

However, I never really heard much from Free apart from the singles. Once Spotify came up, I was then able to dig into their albums and it was like walking into an old gold mine - just stacks of classic rock songs everywhere! Over the years I've listened to more of their work and they just seem to be a very underrated band. If I want to listen to a good rock album, I'll frequently turn to this.

Rodgers is a master rock vocalist and the band is really, really tight. They can rock when they need to but just tone it back as well. And I think that's the key - you know they can blister the guitar, scream etc but they don't. That's what they do so well for me. Quite simply, they are master rock musicians. They don't go 'over the top' because they don't need to - Rodgers barely breaks a sweat with his vocal chords across the album but you know he's bristling and ready to go if he wants to.

I hope you enjoy this album.
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Boooo boooo booooo. I assumed it was this but in deference to the last pick I was waiting till the morning to post and now you've denied me my clue win (not that I'm sad or anything). Shan't be knocking a point off though because what's not to like about Paul Rodgers?
 
GoatersLeftShin said:
@RobMCFC - just posted it!
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Thanks. I appreciate you stepping in at short notice.

Just for the benefit of everybody, the next time this happens, it’s probably best sending the details to me or Coatigan in a DM.

You’ve disrupted the space-time continuum now and there’s no telling where this might lead. Another Radiohead album might sneak through.

Let’s just assume that Seal’s album is still in play play and we’ll switch over to Free at the usual time tomorrow.
 
threespires said:
Boooo boooo booooo. I assumed it was this but in deference to the last pick I was waiting till the morning to post and now you've denied me my clue win (not that I'm sad or anything). Shan't be knocking a point off though because what's not to like about Paul Rodgers?
Click to expand...
I believe we reviewed Bad Company's Greatest Hits on the old @BlueHammer85 thread, and I certainly know Free's hits (including Wishing Well) and BC's. It's kind of nice to go backwards in time after a bunch of records released when I was an adult I must say.
 
Sadly I have been snowed under this week and have only managed to give this the one listen so the Derry jury will take a break from scoring this week.

As for an editors pick, I think we really need to find out what we all think of Billy Joel!
 
Seal-1991 - Seal

Back in the summer of 1991 I had a lot on my mind with a late summer wedding and all the crazy things that go along with it. I certainly don't remember listening to this album when it came out, and the only song I recognized was "Crazy", which actually was released back in November 1990. This must have been one anticipated album by the time the following June came around given the popularity of that song.

The songs that had that same pulsing dancefloor feel as that track really didn't stack up for me here. In fact, I thought the end of the 2nd track of "Deep Water" had the same groove beats as the next track of "Crazy" that I actually had to make sure it hadn't already ended and moved onto the 3rd and I had missed it.

The slower songs landed better. "Whirlpool" was nicely done as a welcome change of pace, and "Show Me" was enjoyable too. "Violet" was a nice closer, but was mostly a vocal and synth track that lasted longer than it should have.

I'm glad to have been able to hear one of Seal's albums, and the one that started it all for him and his voice-centric approach to songs. But overall, not just one that sticks with me other than to have the slower chill songs on in the background and to mostly skip over the dance ones. It's a 5/10 for me.
 
SEAL

This was a bit of a surprise considering I wasn’t a big fan of the singles.I thought this album was a pleasant listen especially the slower tracks.Seal’s obviously got a good voice and the songs were a good showcase for it.
The production made the album sound of its time and typical TH.
I probably won’t delve into Seal’s other work, but it was good to listen one of his albums which by all accounts is his best.

Good pick Grumps

6/10
 
After a couple of weeks where the character of the nominated artist came under almost as much scrutiny as the work no such considerations this week...

When this album came out and Seal was coming to prominance I was probably in my "if it's popular I'm not giving it the time of day" phase and so this would have passed me by. I'll acknowledge a grudging like for Crazy although I probably wouldn't have admitted it. Put on the spot though, yes it's a great song and easily makes my all time list of songs called Crazy- at number 2 (Gnarls Barkely anyone?). Killer is also familiar of course and another decent track.

So, what of the rest of the album? When it was nominated I speculated as to whether he would be a sort of female version of Sade and I wasn't too far wrong although he probably has a bit more variety.

I got on very well with this album. There were one or two moments when it sagged a bit but as a companion to some of the car journeys I've had to make over the past week wth the sun shining and time relatively on my side I've found it relaxing. No real complaints about the production although I'm not, to the best of my knowledge, over familiar with the work of Trevor Horn and whatever his trademarks might be so maybe if I was this might have had an element of saminess to it.

Decent voice, not trying too hard, reasonable sentiments, not apparently cynical. Lots to like and I may explore him further but even if I don't find anything else in his catalogue then like the OP I've got this album to return to when the mood takes me.

Almost an 8 but feels more like a 7.5
 
threespires said:
Though to the best of my knowledge Horn has not appeared in The Simpsons his (co)music has...

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I always thought he was in that version of Yes but he produced that record (and sang) vs. being a member apparently.

It's odd how much I liked that record, but at the time, I also liked Asia, so . . .
 
FogBlueInSanFran said:
I always thought he was in that version of Yes but he produced that record (and sang) vs. being a member apparently.

It's odd how much I liked that record, but at the time, I also liked Asia, so . . .
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I'm not sure of the total amount of musicians in a band that left said band, but then produced the band's next record... so Horn is in a very select group of perhaps just 1 (or at most a few?). Have there been others?

And I still enjoy Drama today. We can Fly From Here too...
 
Seal - 1991

Indeed another couple of spins with Seal and couldn’t quite get out of 3rd gear - ‘Crazy' is a brilliant song that stands the test of time, I like the overall blend of sounds - pop, rock, R&B and he has a great voice - other notable tracks 'Killer', 'Future Love Paradise' and 'The Beginning' are standouts - found the rest pretty ponderous, repetitive and don't really go anywhere - In that video i posted he mentioned he grew up with and was influenced by so many great Artists - Aretha Franklin, Joni Mitchell, Prince, Bob Dylan... Yet it's lacking here, there's no trace of any of them, maybe Prince at times.
Still, i like him, i like his voice, It has that early 90's sound where the world seemed a calmer place and the singles here are good - if 'Kiss From A Rose' was on here then that would also notch it up a point. Good pick!

6/10
 
FogBlueInSanFran said:
I always thought he was in that version of Yes but he produced that record (and sang) vs. being a member apparently.

It's odd how much I liked that record, but at the time, I also liked Asia, so . . .
Click to expand...

I was sad enough to check he had a song writing credit on this (which was my rationale) before I posted it !

(and not gonna lie, it's still a guilty pleasure for me)
 
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