Label: Sequel Records (UK), NEM CD 848
Style: Pop Rock, Rock, New Wave, Synth-Pop[
Country: Lewisham, London, England (24 October 1936)
Time: 40:10
Format: Flac Tracks 16/44,1 kHz
Size: 254 Mb
After
a pair of solo efforts that veered from eccentric yet inspired (Monkey
Grip) to eccentric and uninspired (Stone Alone), Bill Wyman perfected
his blend of rock & roll and oddball humor into one solid album on
1981's Bill Wyman. Instead of utilizing the all-star group of backup
musicians that dominated his previous solo outings, Bill Wyman found the
veteran rocker handling much of the instrumentation himself, with only a
rhythm section and a few guest stars pitching in. The result is a
crisp, consistent sound that mixes the electronic edge of new wave with
good, old-fashioned rock & roll production values. Bill Wyman also
benefits from catchy, well-written songs that provide a hook-laden
backdrop for Wyman's humorous musings: "A New Fashion" is a witheringly
acidic send-up of trend-chasing pop stars that layers a memorably
melodic chorus over an effectively sparse electronic backdrop, and "Come
Back Suzanne" is a one-of-a-kind rock/disco/new wave hybrid that blends
power chords with ethereal synth flourishes as Wyman delivers a
tongue-in-cheek tale of lost love. Other highlights include "Jump Up," a
catchy combination of ska and funk with amusing party-hearty lyrics,
and "Girls," a snarling rocker with campy, macho lyrics that could be
read as a parody of the Rolling Stones' long line of carnal rock songs.
However, the album's masterpiece is "Si, Si, Je Suis Un Rock Star," a
deliriously strange but quite funny song that features Wyman delivering a
lusty travelogue in a deadpan voice over a backing track that mixes
Spanish guitars with burbling synth disco. Ultimately, one's level of
interest in Bill Wyman will depend on their love of eccentric humor, but
no one can deny that it effectively combines solid songwriting and a
sleek, consistent production style. As a result, Bill Wyman is
worthwhile listen for classic rock fans who don't mind a little
idiosyncratic humor mixed in with their rock & roll.
(allmusic.com/album/bill-wyman-mw0000081271)
01. Ride On Baby (03:55)
02. A New Fashion (04:10)
03. Nuclear Reactions (03:39)
04. Visions (04:14)
05. Jump Up (03:59)
06. Come Back Suzanne (03:25)
07. Rio De Janeiro (04:16)
08. Girls (02:46)
09. Seventeen (03:44)
10. (Si Si) Je Suis Un Rock Star (05:57)
No comments:
Post a Comment