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Elly Roberts reviews
W14 Records
- Released: September 2006
- Rating: 4/10
Along with Simply Red, Level 42 was my favourite band of the ’80s.
World Machine will always be their benchmark. Its release in 1985 wasa high point for the Isle Of Wight jazz-funksters. It spawned hit singlesSomething About You and Leaving Me Now. Before that we hadLove Games, Starchild, The Chinese Way and concert favourite Hot Water.Then, amongst others, came Lessons In Love and Running In The Family,both belting pop songs with catchy hooks and sing-along choruses.Then it went pear-shaped due to a string of poor songs.
Truth is, King and co. have lost the plot again on Retroglide. Forever theshowman, Kings bass wires are as hot as ever, but the songwriting is lacking,principally due to self-indulgence. Theyre not bad as such, but thereslittle on offer to re-engage them with the general public, except for die-hardfans.
On Retroglide, thunder-thumb Mark King has reunited with keyboardsensation Mike Lindup who was also instrumental on their unique vocal stylings,a perfect counter-player for King, and former guitarist-songwriter Boon.
Over the years, things havent really changed much in the L42 camp thesound is the same, pristine instrumentation and production. Theyre still ahot live act too. Missing here are the killer songs, once their trademark.
Pulsating opener Dive Into The Sun and All Around are throwbacksto the ’80s purple patch, with the frenetic rhythm section going intooverdrive to impress, but fail. Ambling Rooted with synth wizardry byLindup still fails to convince that theyre back with a vengeance. Thankfullya chirpy The Way Back Home brings some relief from the tedium, whichmight qualify as a single.
In a Leaving Me Now mould, Just For You should have been thesong to impress, again letting them down. Not able to contain himself anylonger, Sleep Talking is pure King bass-blasting exhibitionism, bestsavoured for the live arena: its just an average stroll for all concerned.
The title song is nothing more than filler, with Hell Town Storyshining brightly at long last, above the mediocrity. The last two driftaimlessly to a stuttering end.
After 12 years away from the studio, L42 should, and could have done better.Very disappointing.
Weblink:Level 42.com
The full list of tracks included are :
1. Dive Into The Sun
2. Rooted
3. The Way Back
4. Just For You
5. Sleep Walking
6. Retroglide
7. All Around
8. Clouds
9. Hell Town Story
10. Ship
11. All I Need
Elly Roberts passed away in 2011, but he was a man who was so passionate about all types of music and loved meeting his musical heroes, such as Mick Hucknall at a book signing at the Trafford Centre, Manchester in 2007.
A former teacher and also a music journalist, DJ and radio presenter on local community station Calon FM, plus appearances on BBC Radio Wales, BBC Radio Cymru and BBC Radio 2, Elly started doing reviews for DVDfever.co.uk in 2004 and he did the majority of the CD and concerts reviews on the website.
I know also that he loved getting away for the summer to Spain and I hope that wherever he is now he is enjoying the hot sunshine and, as one of his friends has said on his Facebook page, that he is interviewing his musical heroes.