Musically was a stronger record, the opener "Jacob's Ladder", heartland rock of the Mellencamp variety, then the listener is taken through midlife contentment with "Stuck With You", smug self satisfaction on "I Know What I Like" a fortune cookie philosophy on "Forest For the Trees", and a goodie-two-shoes anthem on "Doing It All For My Baby."
The band enjoyed themselves though, serenading and harmonising to their ideal listener that was a family man. The lyrics were slighty different with a minimal in his simplicity, thought Huey never did anything unexpected to confound his regular-guy base, proudly avoiding abstraction and more than one and a half dimensions.
There were certain highlights such as "Hip To Be Square" literally a love letter to spineless conformity, though slightly mental in the way a manager who wears day-glow jump suits to work to cheer everyone up is, hinting at something weirder around its hyperactive edges. Remember that the album was referenced in the film American Psycho. The main character Patrick Bateman, while talking to Paul Allen, gives a review of the album, discussing the band's viewpoint, intent, and how specifically the song "Hip to Be Square" espouses "not just the pleasures of conformity and the importance of trends, but [the song]'s also a personal statement about the band itself" with a catchy 1980s beat. He goes on to state it is "the group's most accomplished album".
"The Power Of Love" (included on the international version of the LP), the misconnection between then and now is absolutely pitiless. Let’s just say that it is no longer “the power that makes the world go round”, brimming instead with regrettable familiarity, like having your arse pinched by a despised relative in a case of mistaken identity – impossible to make excuses for and hopefully unrepeatable. "Jacob's Ladder" was originally meant for a Bruce Hornsby album that Huey Lewis was producing. Hornsby did not like the arrangement for the song, so suggested Lewis record it with The News. "Doing It All for My Baby" was written by Mike Duke and Phil Cody. Duke wrote the song and then recorded vocals himself (the band playing backing parts and instruments), with the intention of getting a record contract for his own solo career. When that plan fell through, Lewis decided to record a version with his own vocals for the album.
According to Lewis, the album track "Forest for the Trees" was written for and about kids struggling with life issues as an uplifting message for them. Lewis based it off the letters he received from young fans at the time who would talk about how important his music was to them.
No hay comentarios.:
Publicar un comentario