Search - Steve Winwood :: Back in the High Life [MFSL Audiophile Original Master Recording]

One Of Those Cases Where Everyone Got It Right

Andre S. Grindle | Brewer Maine | 05/04/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"All of the hit songs from this album were the backround songs of my first days of school lol but they soon came into sharper focus as my dad baught the cassette into the house and it began to be played over and over again from back to back.Having it now on CD and only remembering the hits from my youth.....well in one way or another Steve Winwood seemed musically everywhere in 1986-87.He was earning awards,critical acclaim and getting huge amounts of airplay. That combination seldom happens and when it does,you usually know something extrodinary has happened. All of the songs on this album have this huge spark of life to them,one of the most tasteful uses of mid 80's pop/R&B productions around.From it's caribbean melody and percussion to the sassy backup vocals of Chaka Khan herself "Higher Love" couldn't be a better start well...to any album. All of these songs have thoughtful,intelligent lyrics about optimism and the idea of something creepy lurking around underneath. "Take It As It Comes","Freedom Overspill",a hit I didn't hear much of if at all at the time and the exciting "Wake Me Up On Judgement Day" all blare with the kind of funky soul style,organ and vocals alike that Winwood have made his stock and trade.These are the more bluesier,horn packed tunes here and probably earned the album most of it's critical attention. The title song has both;it was a huge pop hit AND was artsy.James Taylor's always tasteful backup singing as well as the light marching beat of the drum give it that "they lived happily ever after" kind of feeling."The Finer Things" has a sudtle keyboard sound that goes back to the Arc of a Diver era but again the island rhythms and peppiness of the tune is right there in the moment and looking to a happy future all at once.The last two songs I guess could be seen as the darker side of the occasion."Split Decision" is the hardest rocking tune here courtesy of Joe Walch and delivers on someones thoughts of both uncertainty and joy.Viv Stanshell (yes of Bonzo Dog Band fame) makes a rare appearance on "My Love's Leavin",something of an epic lament and a good way to close thing out.One odd thing about this album is all eight songs on it are within the 5 minute range and all roughly 10-20 seconds seperate in lengh. Not that it matters much but somehow musically it gives the whole album a very very even and consistant feel. This sure deserved every bit of attention it got and still gets and I always wonder what the liner notes for a...say 25'th anniversary double CD version of this would look like soon enough. For Winwood anyway the finer things really were shinning through!"