Classic Rock Bottom

ALBUM OF THE WEEK # 396 MIKE + THE MECHANICS - MIKE + THE MECHANICS (1985)

Disclaimer: All info that does not reside in my brain is gathered from wikipedia.com (mostly because Jon can't stand it) unless otherwise noted.

I've gotta tell you, I'm not feeling particularly well this evening, so I bring you the "no frills" version of CRB AOTW. Mike + The Mechanics (Mike Rutherford's side project from Genesis), released their debut album in 1985. They saw immediate pop success.  The album rose to number 26 on the Billboard chart and sold enough to garner a Gold certification from the RIAA.  

A total of four singles were released, with three of those scoring Top 40 numbers.  All I Need Is A Miracle was eventually the band's second highest charting single, making it up to number 5.  Silent Running (On Dangerous Ground) was close behind, topping out at number 6.  Finally, Taken In didn't climb quite as high, but it did show up at number 32.  The first single was sung by Paul Carrack, while the other two mentioned were sung by Paul Young.

The CD can be had for 9.99 on Amazon.  But if you want a real bargain, you can pick up a cassette, used I'm sure, for 50 cents.

Tracks:

1. Silent Running (On Silent Ground)

2. All I Need Is A Miracle

3. Par Avion

4. Hanging By A Thread

5. I Get The Feeling

6. Take The Reins

7. You Are The One

8. A Call To Arms

9. Taken In

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I love Living Years - that one has special meaning to me, one of those albums/songs that speak deeply and personally about a few things.  But the debut is good as well.  Taken In has that Carrack-led Squeeze vibe.  How can that be bad a thing?  

I remember hearing the lead off single/title track and wasn't impressed.  It was different at the time of its release.  But it holds up well, and Carrack has a great voice...  I always hoped his solo career woudl take off, Don't Shed A Tear is soo dang catchy and cool that I thought he was a definite can't miss, but it just didn't.  Paul Young is good as well.  I think I had posted at least one track off his last ever solo album, sad story ....

Heavy pop and Heavy keyboard do dominate this album as a whole, though it's never terrible or cliche, ok maybe in some spots it is (I Get The Feeling)...  But its not a bad album if you like mid tempo soft rock...  It has a place!

This was ok for, as Scott stated, mid-tempo soft rock.  Just seems that it's along the same lines as Genesis at this period, trying to get the adult audience. The one song I really like it #4 because it rocks harder than anything else here. Havie a greatest hits disc from these fellows and that's good enough for me.

I know the first two songs but I really never listened to anything else from this album.

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