Search - Level 42 :: Standing in the Light

As Good As It Gets

Andre' S Grindle | Bangor,ME. | 11/17/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Whatever Level 42 were trying to do musically it worked.There sound was funky,soulful and tight and how they managed to gain any interest ammong British new romantics in beyond me.Mark King,Mike Lindup and Phil and Boon Gould are real musicians,real performers with a great glossy sound saddled with,on the vocal numbers,lyrics of topical or intelligent concerns.They remind me of Earth,Wind & Fire and Stevie Wonder at times but with a TOTALLY fresh flavor."Micro Kid",the classic "The Sun Goes Down" and the title cut are classic Level 42-the sound always rises from the bottom."I Want Eyes" and "Out Of Site Out Of Mind" are lovely ballads and "People" should have been a MAJOR US hit!!!This band NEVER got it's due early in it's career,whitch was also their peak.From 1980 to this album their material represent Level 42 at their musical prime and even though 'Something About You' hit big a few years later the band were way past their peak by the time the song was released in my opinion.In fact it would start to go downhill after 'Standing In The Light' when the band moved away from it's classic sound in it's next outing,focusing more on true new wave techno-pop and clished world beat experiments.But EARLY Level 42 were a spectacle to behold.And along with period Spandau Ballet,ABC and The Style Council British funk-jazz/R&B couldn't get much better."

Simply unmissable if you like true music.

Magnani Paolo | albinea, re Italy | 02/08/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This is a once-in-a-life masterwork. Level 42 were the moment jazz-funk mainly instrumental phenomenon, and their leader, Mark King, decided to demostrate the world he could sing too. They met with Earth Wind & Fire Larry Dunn & Verdine White and the result is an absolutely stunning pop-funk wonder. If "Living it up" was the most successful track (and one of their classics in time) I would certainly not forget "Micro-kid" that could have been a monstrous single (maybe with a remix). But the substance here is far more than that. Just listen to my actual overall
favourite Level 42 track, the dreaming "Out of sight out of mind", or the infectiously dancy "Dance on heavy weather", the atmospheres of "I want eyes", or even the fine melodies of the beautifully sung "People" by Mike Lindup. And what suprises me is the freshness of this music, I think really it's ahead of its time. I cannot recommend this album more. For musicians, for Level 42 aficionados, for all music lovers in the world. Just buy it."