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Along with Brian Wilson and John Lennon, Steve Winwood is the artist who really helped me absorb the basic idioms and move on to other musical delights which I shamelessly neglected during my purist years. In
1997 , Steve released his 7th solo album - aptly titled 'Junction
7' - and once again his vocal and instrumental skills appeared intact.
Despite a somewhat serious decrease in quality of the songs over the
past few years, this particular disc (which will be reviewed in full
at a later date) was a complete delight from start to finish. |
By 1967, he decided to try something new and incorporated other influences into his music (classical, psychedelic, folk). This led to the formation of one of the timeless bands of the '60s and '70s : Traffic.
Despite a somewhat cahotic line-up, this group proved to be truly innovative and, largely thanks to Steve, produced milestones like 'Paper Sun', '40,000 Headmen', 'Pearly Queen', 'Shangaï Noodle Factory', the haunting 'No Time To Live', then - after the Blind Faith episode - 'John Barleycorn', 'Empty Pages', 'Glad', the supernatural 'Low Spark Of High-Heeled Boys', 'Rainmaker', 'Evening Blue', 'Roll Right Stones', 'When The Eagle Flies' and so many more - until the 1974 breakup which saw drummer/percussionist Jim Capaldi embark for good on a solo career.
However, after a couple of years spent on the farm and in the studio backing up other artists, Steve decided to start his own solo career ; the first LP was released in 1977 and contained some real fine stuff like 'Hold On', 'Time Is Running Out' and 'Midland Maniac'. It would be another 3 years before his next album was out - but it was well worth the wait. Everybody agrees to say that 'Arc Of A Diver' remains a high point of his career. The songs range from the catchy 'Spanish Dancer' to the funky, guitar-laden 'Night Train' to the complex 'Dust' to the delightfully disco-styled 'Second-Hand Woman'. Steve learned to play the drums for this album and used synthesizers extensively - the good news being that, like Brian Wilson or Stevie Wonder, he knows how to use them with taste. Now, would you believe that the best was yet to come ??
In 1982, the release of 'Talkin' Back To The Night' signaled Steve's definitive arrival at the top of the tree and this is the album on which I want to concentrate right now.
In the song
'Arc of A Diver',
Steve had proclaimed that his 'Rock'n'Roll was putting on weight', therefore
he managed to adapt to the ever-changing music scene - with gusto, skill and
soul.
'Talkin' Back
To The Night'
comprises some of his most melodic and uplifting compositions. It was also
a big departure from the previous outings since keyboards and synthesizers
were the main instruments. It stirred up some controversy at the time - but
still, that's why I love this disc so much : it's totally different in sound
and production, but Steve didn't lose any of his powers in the process.
'Valerie'
opens the disc brightly ; it's the kind of infectious song you can't get out
of your head once you've heard it. 'And
I Go' is a beautiful
R'n'B-tinged ballad, reminiscent of those '66-'67 soul ballads.
'While There's A Candle Burnin'
is again well constructed with more interesting chord progressions - and another
good set of words by Will Jennings.
I'll be forever moved by 'It
Was Happiness',
which contains masterful arrangements - deep, beautiful layers of sound. 'Help
Me Angel' is typical
Steve Winwood, his burning voice well to the fore and featuring one of his
most powerful synth solos (along with the one he takes in 'Valerie').
And then, there's 'Talkin'
Back To The Night'
... a mesmerizing tale of both despair and hope, sung and played with warmth
and meaning, and full of incredible keyboard stylings - courtesy of Steve
of course, who played all the instruments here.
This album was a labor of love and talent. Steve went on to record other great
discs - 'Back
In The High Life'
in 1986, 'Roll
With It' in 1988,
'Junction 7' -
but I think this one is totally satisfying in every possible way. It has joined
The Beach Boys' 'Friends',
Gene Vincent's 'Record
Date',
Elvis's 'Elvis
Is Back',
The Band's 'Stage
Fright', Joe
Maphis's 'King
Of The Strings'
(on Starday), Steely Dan's 'Aja',
Robert Gordon's 'Are
You Gonna Be The One',
Eddie Cochran's 'Cherished
Memories',
The Beatles' 'White
Album', Lee
Morgan's 'The
Sidewinder'
and many others on my Desert Island record list - now, that's saying something
!!!
Last but not least,
be sure to grab Mobile Fidelity's Gold CD of Steve's 'Talkin' Back To The
Night' (UDCD 674) to get the best sonic incarnation of that timeless album.
