Grant Lee Buffalo "Mighty Joe Moon" (1994)

Mighty Joe Moon
release date: Sep. 20, 1994
format: cd
[album rate: 3 / 5] [3,42]
producer: Paul Kimble
label: Slash Records - nationality: USA

Track highlights: 1. "Lone Star Song" (4 / 5) - 2. "Mockingbirds" - 4. "Sing Along" - 5. "Mighty Joe Moon" - 8. "Drag" - 11. "Honey Don't Think"
[ full album ]

2nd studio album by Grant Lee Buffalo released 1½ year after Fuzzy (1993). The style is basically the same as on the fine debut from '93, although, this seems somewhat more melodic but also slightly more alt. rock-styled as contrary to more folk-based compositions on the predecessor. I find that the album is interesting but also without obvious great tracks, and it simply seems more murky without being boring.
[ allmusic.com 4,5 / 5 stars ]

Grant Lee Buffalo "Fuzzy" (1993)

Fuzzy [debut]
release date: Feb. 23, 1993
format: digital
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,63]
producer: Paul Kimble
label: Slash Records - nationality: USA

Track highlights: 1. "The Shining Hour" - 2. "Jupiter and Teardrop" (4 / 5) - 3. "Fuzzy" - 5. "The Hook" - 7. "Stars 'n' Stripes" - 9. "America Snoring" - 11. "You Just Have to Be Crazy"

Studio debut album by the Los Angeles trio Grant Lee Buffalo consisting of Grant-Lee Phillips on lead vocals and guitar, Paul Kimble on bass and keyboards, and with Joey Peters on drums. The band has become known as an artists' favourite band - many have lauded the music and style of the band but they never has been a great public magnet. Lead vocalist of R.E.M., Michael Stipe called the album best of the year, and also music critics on both sides of the Atlantic praised the album. Stylistically, the band plays an alt. rock with focus on folk rock and americana, and has been linked with the music of John Stewart and Neil Young. I recall, being introduced to Fuzzy by a friend of mine back when it was released, but I didn't rate it as high as I would later on. I think, my initial rejection of the music had much to do with my own fascination for dream pop and grunge rock at the time, and this is far from that. Today, I really enjoy it, and I think my rating has gone from 2,5 to 3,5 in the span of 20 years.
[ allmusic.com 4,5 / 5, NME, Q Magazine 4 / 5 stars ]

Tom Waits "Small Change" (1976)

Small Change
release date: Oct. 1976
format: cd
[album rate: 4,5 / 5] [4,32]
producer: Bones Howe
label: Asylum Records - nationality: USA

Track highlights: 1. "Tom Traubert's Blues (Four Sheets to the Wind in Copenhagen)" (5 / 5) - 2. "Step Right Up" - 3. "Jitterbug Boy (Sharing a Curbstone With Chuck E. Weiss, Robert Marchese, Paul Body and the Mug and Artie)" - 5. "The Piano Has Been Drinking (Not Me)" (4 / 5) - 7. "Pasties and a G-String (At the Two O'Clock Club)" (4 / 5) - 9. "The One That Got Away" - 11. "I Can't Wait to Get Off Work" (4 / 5)

4th studio album by Tom Waits following one year after his 'live' album Nighthawks at the Diner.

Opening the album with "Tom Traubert's Blues..." is also commonly known as "Waltzing Mathilda" - and as the unofficial Australian national anthem.

A lot has happened since his debut, and that only really is revealed on this, where his vocal has become a more original instrument, and which in a way marks a first distancing from his first three albums. Waits was pretty good on his first albums, but here he no longer sounds like another clone based on Bob Dylan or Tim Buckley - this is where the 'real' Waits really awakens.

I don't think the man made anything resembling a bad album during the 70s. His lyrics and music are almost constantly at a very high level.

Highest recommendation.

[ allmusic.com 4,5 / 5, Rolling Stone 4 / 5, Mojo 5 / 5 stars ]

Skunk Anansie "Wonderlustre" (2010)

Skunk Anansie
Wonderlustre (2010)

"Over the Love" (4 / 5)

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David Bowie " 'Heroes' " (1977)

'Heroes'
release date: Oct. 14, 1977
format: vinyl (1984 reissue) / digital
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,33]
producer: David Bowie, Tony Visconti
label: RCA International - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: 3. " 'Heroes' " (5 / 5) - 4. "Sons of the Silent Age"

12th studio album by David Bowie and his second in "the Berlin trilogy" released only 9 months following the album Low.
The album has status as one of the finest of rock, or more precisely: art rock. It's Bowie's seventh studio album to be enlisted in "1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die".
I purchased the album at some point in the mid-80s alongside the predecessor Low after re-discovering Bowie. I had been fascinated by Scary Monsters (And Super Creeps) (1980) and simply loved his The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust... (1972) album, so it was a natural option to turn to his acclaimed Berlin-trilogy. I do understand how he was the notorious musical chameleon, and I was prepared to meet a diverse album, but at the same time, I was quite familiar with the fine title track, so I may have been slightly excited about getting the full album. I only felt bewildered as to why I didn't like this so-called masterpiece. Only the title-track felt like a fine song, but how that one song had everyone talking about it and lauding the album as something otherworldly was, and basically still is, beyond my comprehension.
In Bowie's Berlin trilogy 'Heroes' is his second, and that's also the way I rate them: Low, as the first is the best, and then the quality drops one by one. making Lodger (1979) the poorest.
[ allmusic.com, Select 5 / 5, Rolling Stone 4,5 / 5, Blender, NME 4 / 5 stars ]

Blondie "Plastic Letters" (1978)

Plastic Letters
release date: 1978
format: vinyl (CHR 1166) / cd
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,48]
producer: Richard Gottehrer
label: Chrysalis Records - nationality: USA

Track highlights: 1. "Fan Mail" (4 / 5) - 2. "Denis" (4 / 5) - 3. "Bermuda Triangle Blues (Flight 45)" - 4. "Youth Nabbed as Sniper" - 6. "(I'm Always Touched by Your) Presence Dear" - 7. "I'm on E" - 8. "I Didn't Have the Nerve to Say No"

2nd studio album by Blondie following one year after Blondie (Dec. 1976) is produced by Richard Gottehrer, who also produced the majority of the tracks on the debut. The album was was due to be released in late '77 and was released in Dec. 1977 in Japan only with a different tracklisting - the official release being Feb. 1978. 
This was the first album I listened to with the band 'round about 1978. I had a friend who was a big fan but it didn't get me that much, although we always played Blondie while playing an ice hockey board game we both had. I generally found it more than just okay, some tracks were great but... And that's pretty much how I see it today too. I don't know if I think it's better or worse than the debut. The style is in the same ball game, only the pop / rock aspect may be more prevalent. All throughout the band's many albums, they always played new wave, pop / rock to various degrees, and this album follows in the footsteps with some of the energy of the first album. Especially "Fan Mail" is a great energetic track with both Hammond organ, surf guitar and a catchy and direct new wave chorus and it seems like a perfect follow-up to "X Offender" from the debut album. Most memorable track is possibly "Denis", which is a modern classic but apart from those two, the album is a bit too varied. The band always stood with their feet on two grounds: trying to be new wave and fresh, up on the beat, and running along in the shadow of Talking Heads, and at the same time Blondie represented a much wider aspect of contemporary pop / rock with influences from 1970s prog. rock and traditional pop, which ultimately was a good choice, appealing to a varied and very broad crowd, but that also made their albums extremely broad. Plastic Letters easily surpassed the debut (which reached number #75) on the UK albums chart list peaking as high as number #10 in the UK, but only to number #72 in the US, already depicting how the band would attract a bigger crowd in Europe compared to the domestic market.
[ allmusic.com hands it 3,5 / 5, Rolling Stone Album Guide 3 / 5 stars ]

~ ~ ~

This post is part of MyMusicJourney, which enlists key releases that have shaped my musical taste when growing up and until age 14. Most of these releases come from my parents' and / or my older brother's collection.

Neil Young "Journey Through the Past" (OST) (1972)

Journey Through the Past (soundtrack)
release date: Dec. 8, 1972
format: digital
[album rate: 3 / 5] [2,88]

producer: Neil Young, L. A. Johnson

label: Reprise Records - nationality: Canada

Track highlights: 4. "Ohio" - 5. "Southern Man" - 8. "Alabama"

An original soundtrack by Neil Young produced with Larry Alderman Johnson, who is credited because he stood behind the footage to the film. Now this is indeed a strange official release by being a soundtrack album to a movie also by Neil Young. The movie is the journey back to his time before he went solo. It features live sessions from TV broadcasts with Buffalo Springfield, live recordings with Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, rehearsal outtakes from the Harvest sessions with The Stray Gators, and it contains recordings by The Tony and Susan Alamo Christian Foundation Orchestra and Chorus. The music is both a variety of styles, but what is bad as a soundtrack album is its lack of sound quality, which probably has to do with the fact that the album was only released on vinyl and tape, and still hasn't been issued as CD reissues. The album is mostly found as bootlegs and really is only a must for someone who likes to own everything by Neil Young. He has released much better live albums and also better retrospective recordings later in his career. However bad the sound is, you still have to admire songs like the abovementioned, which stand out as landmarks.

The Beatles "Golden Greatest Hits" (1978)

Golden Greatest Hits (compilation)
release date: 1978
format: vinyl (1979 Club Edition, DK)
[album rate: 4 / 5]
producer: George Martin
label: Parlophone - nationality: England, UK

16 track best of compilation by The Beatles. The album was originally released in '78 as a cassette only issue, but in '79 released on vinyl. The tracks are from the band's entire career without any attempts to list the songs in any specific order.

Jethro Tull "Stormwatch" (1979)

Stormwatch
release date: Sep. 14, 1979
format: digital
[album rate: 2,5 / 5] [2,60]
producer: Ian Anderson, Robin Black
label: Chrysalis Records - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights:1. "North Sea Oil" (3,5 / 5) - 2. "Orion" (3 / 5) - 3. "Home" (3,5 / 5) - 4. "Dark Ages" (3 / 5) - 7. "Old Ghosts" (3 / 5)

12th studio album by Jethro Tull is also known as the final album in a trilogy starting with Songs From the Woods (1977) with focus on folk rock in a celtic folklore frame. The album may very likely have strong bonds to the '77 and '78 albums, but I never found it any near the same level, and / or of much interest. I think, time simply caught up with a band that didn't fit in anymore, and just enjoyed playing big live concerts repeating itself, and here, band leader and composer Anderson hasn't been able to come up with his usual strong compositions. The album is the last with the band's most celebrated members list including Ian Anderson, Martin Barre, John Evan, David Palmer, John Glascock, and Barriemore Barlow. After this album only Anderson and Barre would continue Jethro Tull with new band members. The band's bassist John Glascock wasn't able to contribute on all studio recordings due to heart problems, and was replaced on a successive US tour, and eventually died in Nov. '79. The untimely death of the band's bassist led to drummer Barriemore Barlow's departure from the band in early 1980, and as a consequence of Anderson's announced plans to record a solo album, both David Palmer and John Evan decided to leave. After this, Anderson worked on and recorded his first solo album but due to contractual obligations the album was released as a Jethro Tull album titled A (1980) for "Anderson", with a very different kind of music in a synth pop style, which is of even less interest.
[ allmusic.com 2 / 5 stars ]

David Bowie "Low" (1977)

Low
release date: Jan. 14, 1977
format: vinyl (1983 reissue) / digital
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,42]
producer: David Bowie, Tony Visconti
label: RCA International - nationality: (West) Germany

Track highlights: 1. "Speed of Life" - 4. "Sound and Vision" - 6. "Be My Wife"

11th studio album by David Bowie and his first in what is known as "the Berlin trilogy" - followed by the albums 'Heroes' (Oct. 1977) and Lodger (1979).
The album is Bowie's sixth studio album to be enlisted in "1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die".
I do know how people refer to the trilogy as something spectacular, but I never really enjoyed any of the albums all that much. "Sound and Vision" is a great track, but in my ears, I simply cannot understand how what all the fuzz is about. Avant garde Oooooh yes! I guess that's what you have to say when melodies are absent and the sound is unlike anything else but mostly feels like sand in ears.
Not recommended.
[ allmusic.com, Rolling Stone, Q Magazine, Blender 5 / 5, NME 4,5 / 5, Spin 4 / 5 stars ]

The Beatles "Love Songs" (1977)

Love Songs (compilation)
release date: Oct. 1977
format: vinyl (1978, Yugoslavia)
[album rate: 4 / 5]
producer: George Martin
label: Jugoton - nationality: England, UK

Compilation album by The Beatles originally released by Parlophone.

The Beatles "The Beatles at the Hollywood Bowl" (1977) (live)

The Beatles at the Hollywood Bowl (live)
release date: May 1977
format: vinyl (gatefold - EMTV 4)
[album rate: 4 / 5]
producer: Voyle Gilmore; George Martin (final mixdown)
label: Parlophone - nationality: England, UK

Live album by The Beatles recorded at the Hollywood Bowl Aug. 30, 1965 except tracks #A6 to #B1, #B4 to #B6 recorded Aug. 23, 1964.
The album is one of my first vinyl acquisitions in the 1970s.

[ allmusic.com, Rolling Stone 4 / 5 stars ]

Frank Zappa / The Mothers of Invention "Mothermania - The Best of The Mothers" (1969)

Mothermania - The Best of The Mothers (compilation)
release date: Mar. 24, 1969
format: digital
[album rate: 3 / 5]

A rather funny album compiled by Zappa. The majority of the tracks may be found on first three albums by Mothers of Invention, however, the tracks on the compilation are alternate tracks with different lyrics and / or playing time.

Jethro Tull "Live: Bursting Out" (1978) (live)

Live: Bursting Out (live)
release date: Sep. 22, 1978
format: digital
[album rate: 3,5 / 5]
producer: Ian Anderson
label: Chrysalis Records - nationality: England, UK

1st live album release by Jethro Tull was originally released as a double vinyl album. The recordings are not taken from one single concert but are excerpts from various live performances recorded during the band's European tour in May / Jun. '78 while promoting the band's most recent album Heavy Horses and put together by Anderson. The credited personnel include Ian Anderson on lead vocals, flute and acoustic guitar, Martin Barre on electric guitar, mandolin, marimba and backing vocals, John Evan on piano, organ, accordion, synthesizer and backing vocals, David Palmer on portative organ, synthesizers and backing vocals, John Glascock on bass, electric guitar and backing vocals, and Barriemore Barlow on drums, glockenspiel, backing vocals and flute. Although, it only contains two songs from Heavy Horses, which was the tour's main objective to promote, it's a rather fine and wide-ranged live album. There are no attempts in trying to mute the reactions from the crowd, and it reflects a fine level of energy, and also shows how much diversity the band's repertoire contains. The selection of songs are from all the band's albums, thus making it more of a compilation statement rather than a promotion. One could fear that playing older material alongside brand new compositions would make it a bit of a mixed bag it really isn't, as the band's playing style, arrangements and engagement make it a fine experience.
[ allmusic.com 3 / 5 stars ]

Neil Young "Harvest" (1972)

Harvest
release date: Feb. 25, 1972
format: cd (1998 reissue)
[album rate: 4 / 5] [4,02]
producer: Neil Young & Elliot Mazer; Henry Lewy; Jack Nitzsche
label: Reprise / Warner - nationality: Canada

Tracklist: 1. "Out on the Weekend" (4,5 / 5) - 2. "Harvest" (4 / 5) - 3. "A Man Needs a Maid" (3,5 / 5) - 4. "Heart of Gold" (5 / 5) - 5. "Are You Ready for the Country?" - 6. "Old Man" (4 / 5) - 7. "There's a World" - 8. "Alabama" - 9. "The Needle and the Damage Done" (4 / 5) - 10. "Words (Between the Lines of Age)" (3,5 / 5)

4th studio album by Neil Young is another essential release by Young in his early solo career. The style is more laid-back with its country rock / folk rock, and the studio personnel on the album were The Stray Gators (Ben Keith, Jack Nitzsche, Kenny Buttrey, Spooner Oldham, Tim Drummond) with backing vocals by David Crosby, Stephen Stills, Graham Nash, and Linda Ronstadt, and two tracks feature The London Symphony Orchestra. The album was made without the Crazy Horse members, which underlines the fact that it's more folk than rock.
The track "The Needle and the Damage Done" is Young's experience with drug addiction in the aftermath of several friends' and artists' deaths as results of heroin abuse. It's also a remark to Danny Whitten of Crazy Horse, who had a serious drug abuse, and Young also wrote the song as a warning. Whitten died later in November that year.
The album is naturally enlisted in "1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die". I don't find it as great as his two previous albums, but having said this, Harvest is still near essential.
[ allmusic.com 4,5 / 5 stars ]

Stiff Little Fingers "Hanx!" (1980) (live)

Hanx! (live)
release date: Sep. 1980
format: vinyl (CHR 1300) / digital
[album rate: 4 / 5]
producer: Doug Bennett
label: Chrysalis Records - nationality: Northern Ireland, UK

Tracklist: 1. "Nobody's Hero" - 2. "Gotta Gettaway" - 3. "Wait and See" - 4. "Barbed Wire Love" - 5. "Fly the Flag" - 6. "Alternative Ulster" - 7. "Johnny Was" - 8. "At the Edge" - 9. "Wasted Life" - 10. "Tin Soldiers" - 11. "Suspect Device"
[ full album playlist ]

3rd album release by Stiff Little Fingers on Chrysalis is their first live album and one of my first acquisitions with the band. It may seem pretty early to release a live album after only two studio albums but SLF was a terrific live band, which this serves to document.
[ allmusic.com 3 / 5 stars ]

[ SLF live at Rockpalast Nov. 30, 1980 ]
[ SLF older and live at The edge, 2004 ]
[ Older men playing punk, 2011 ]
[ Even older men playing punk, 2013 ]

The Police "Zenyattà Mondatta" (1980)

Zenyattà Mondatta
release date: Oct. 3, 1980
format: vinyl / cd (reissue) / cd (2014 remaster)
[album rate: 4 / 5] [3,98]
producer: The Police, Nigel Gray
label: A&M Records - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: A) 1. "Don't Stand so Close to Me" (4,5 / 5) - 2. "Driven to Tears" - 3. "When the World Is Running Down, You Make the Best of What's Still Around" - 4. "Canary in a Coalmine" (4 / 5) - - B) 1. "De Do Do Do, De Da Da Da" (4,5 / 5) - 2. "Behind My Camel" (4 / 5) - 3. "Man in a Suitcase" (4,5 / 5) - 4. "Shadows in the Rain"

3rd studio album by The Police follows one year after Reggatta de blanc, and like that it includes Nigel Gray as co-producer. Sting is here back as undisputed songswriter being credited eigth out of eleven tracks. Summers provides one song only (track #B2), and Copeland is credited two songs (tracks #A6 and #B5).

Again, the band has changed style, although this time it's more of a subtle turn. The strong jazz and fusion element is more subdued and the album appears as less experimental with a bolder mainstream pop / rock profile. Fans all over the world immediately embraced the album, it won them several awards, however, critics were less enthusiastic about the broader appeal and a turn to "easy" money. But it goes down as the band's confirmation of their breakthrough on both sides of the Atlantic with Reggatta de blanc.

I have always thought of their first three albums as a trilogy, and it makes sense in more than one way. These three have all been given strange or non-English titles. They're all founded on basically the three instruments the trio handles: bass, guitar, and drums / percussion, and they all include tracks of fast, short new wave tracks, whereas the last two studio albums have much more complex orchestration with keyboards, horns and strings, aside from having less reggae-inspired compositions.

Anyway, this album plays a major part of my youth and the music I listened to just before throwing myself over punk rock. So in that sense this is a fine link between traditional pop / rock of the 1970s and new musical styles. Just like their previous album, Zenyattà ended up on top of the UK albums chart list, a position it also made in Australia and in France.

In my book, this is their second-best album overall, and definitely one to know of.

[ allmusic.com 5 / 5, Rolling Stone Album Guide 4,5 / 5 stars ]

Neil Young "After the Gold Rush" (1970)

After the Gold Rush
release date: Sep. 19, 1970
format: cd (1987 reissue)
[album rate: 4 / 5] [4,08]
producer: Neil Young, David Briggs with Kendall Pacios
label: Reprise Records - nationality: Canada

Tracklist: 1. "Tell Me Why" (4 / 5) - 2. "After the Gold Rush" (4 / 5) - 3. "Only Love Can Break Your Heart" (5 / 5) - 4. "Southern Man" (4 / 5) - 5. "Till the Morning Comes" - 6. "Oh, Lonesome Me" - 7. "Don't Let It Bring You Down" (4 / 5) - 8. "Birds" (3,7 / 5) - 9. "When You Dance I Can Really Love" (4 / 5) - 10. "I Believe in You" - 11. "Cripple Creek Ferry" (4 / 5)

3rd studio album by Neil Young is a solo release, however, Crazy Horse members guitarist Danny Whitten, also credited harmony vocals and co-lead vocal on "Cinnamon Girl", bassist Billy Talbot and drummer Ralph Molina (also harmony vocals) all contribute on the album resembling the line-up as was the case on the previous release. Aside Crazy Horse also Nils Lofgren is credited on guitar, piano, and vocals, Stephen Stills as vocalist, Jack Nietzche on piano, and bassist Greg Reeves are co-musicians here.
The album contains so many great songs - and you really need this in any pop / rock music collection including the 1970s. With this he stands out as one of the few who took folk rock and singer / songwriting into a new era - making it contemporary. His previous two solo albums after leaving Buffalo Springfield, the homonymous debut (that links him very much with the material he wrote for Buffalo Springfield) and Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere, had already proven that he was the driving force of Buffalo Springfield and much more than just a gifted and promising singer and songwriter of folk and country. The album is naturally enlisted in "1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die".

1970 Favourite releases: 1. Creedence Clearwater Revival Cosmo's Factory - 2. Van Morrison Moondance - 3. Neil Young After the Gold Rush

Jethro Tull "Heavy Horses" (1978)

Heavy Horses
release date: Apr. 21, 1978
format: vinyl / digital
[album rate: 4 / 5] [3,77]
producer: Ian Anderson
label: Chrysalis Records - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: A) 1. "...And the Mouse Police Never Sleeps" - 2. "Acres Wild" (4 / 5) - 3. "No Lullaby" (4 / 5) - 4. "Moths" (4 / 5) - - B) 1. "Rover" - 2. "One Brown Mouse" (4 / 5) - 3. "Heavy Horses" (4 / 5)

11th studio album by Jethro Tull. The members list remain the same as on Songs From the Woods (1977), and the music is like its predecessor progressive rock but with strong focus on a folk element, which has roots in British pagan folklore. Compared to the '77 album it appears as a tighter album. I have always had a soft spot for this album and even liked it a lot at the age of 13 when it was released and my older brother played it. As I recall it, my brother didn't particularly enjoy it that much, as he handed me the album in a plastic bag with 20 other fine albums 2-3 years later. I think, he found the band's move towards folk a difficult move having associated the band with psychedelic hard rock and progressive rock only. The band found it increasingly difficult to attract the crowds, and the album didn't sell quite as good as their earlier albums still managing to reach number #20 in the UK, and to number #19 in the US and in Germany. I guess, much of the reason to people's general declining interest for the band had much to do with new popular styles in the world of popular music as new wave and punk rock, which in essence was a reaction to music created by bands like Jethro Tull - music that was recorded and produced by established artists and required a considerable amount of money spent on equipment and studio recording time. Despite being released in the second year of the British punk rock wave, this is still a remarkably fine album in its own rights.
[ allmusic.com 4 / 5 stars]

Van Morrison "Wavelength" (1978)

Wavelength
release date: Sep. 1978
format: cd (2008 remaster)
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,42]
producer: Van Morrison
label: Polydor Records - nationality: Northern Ireland, UK

Track highlights: 1. "Kingdom Hall" - 2. "Checking It Out" - 3. "Natalia" - 6. "Wavelength" - 8. "Hungry for Your Love"

10th studio album by Van Morrison originally released on Warner Bros. and with himself as producer sees Van take on a more contemporary pop / rock-styled mix of pop soul and rhythm & blues.
Critics were split when reviewing the album, although, they agreed that it was his clearly most pop-styled album so far, but it turned out as the success he had been looking for as it was his fastest selling album to date reaching 'Gold' status in the US within only three months. The album success made him assemble a backing band and launch on a promotion tour.
It's not one of my favourite Morrison albums. I have always found that it wasn't among his best performances nor displaying his best material. Some compositions are too slick cut and the result is a strange mix of intentional direction. There are some truly heartfelt and strong soul-elements that I really like - even in his most pop-styled songs like on "Natalia" and "Hungry for Your Love", and there are the more r&b-fused energetic bursts like "Kingdom Hall" and "Checking It Out", but then the remainders don't quite fit in with that but are singer / songwriter material that sums it up as a more uneven yet also more mainstream album than eg. A Period of Transition, which in comparison seems more honest. These two albums are very different but I still find it hard to pick which one I prefer, though, they are solid albums.
Now, I really like most of the single tracks on this, but it's not an immediate favourite of mine.
[ allmusic.com 4 / 5, Rolling Stone Album Guide 2,5 / 5 stars ]