After a pair of solo efforts that veered from eccentric yet inspired (
Monkey Grip
) to eccentric and uninspired (
Stone Alone
),
Bill Wyman
perfected his blend of
rock & roll
and oddball humor into one solid album on 1981's
. Instead of utilizing the all-star group of backup musicians that dominated his previous solo outings,
found the veteran rocker handling much of the instrumentation himself, with only a rhythm section and a few guest stars pitching in. The result is a crisp, consistent sound that mixes the
electronic
edge of
new wave
with good, old-fashioned
production values.
also benefits from catchy, well-written songs that provide a hook-laden backdrop for
Wyman
's humorous musings:
"A New Fashion"
is a witheringly acidic send-up of trend-chasing
pop
stars that layers a memorably melodic chorus over an effectively sparse
backdrop, and
"Come Back Suzanne"
is a one-of-a-kind
rock
/
disco
hybrid that blends power chords with ethereal synth flourishes as
delivers a tongue-in-cheek tale of lost love. Other highlights include
"Jump Up,"
a catchy combination of
ska
and
funk
with amusing party-hearty lyrics, and
"Girls,"
a snarling rocker with campy, macho lyrics that could be read as a parody of
the Rolling Stones
' long line of carnal
songs. However, the album's masterpiece is
"Si, Si, Je Suis Un Rock Star,"
a deliriously strange but quite funny song that features
delivering a lusty travelogue in a deadpan voice over a backing track that mixes Spanish guitars with burbling
synth disco
. Ultimately, one's level of interest in
will depend on their love of eccentric humor, but no one can deny that it effectively combines solid songwriting and a sleek, consistent production style. As a result,
is worthwhile listen for
classic rock
fans who don't mind a little idiosyncratic humor mixed in with their
. ~ Donald A. Guarisco