Search - Steve Winwood :: Chronicles (Shm)

"Say A Prayer For The Stranger"

General Breadbasket | 09/25/2008

(4 out of 5 stars)

"I'd heard "Higher Love" on the radio before, and the remix of "Valerie" that was a hit a few years back, but what made me get this album was hearing "While You See Chance". I thought it was Peter Gabriel singing, (since it has a similar sort of vibe as the Genesis song "It"). Haha!



Though it doesn't seem to be a definitive best of, according to some of the reviews here, there are still some top tracks on here that I really enjoy. Steve has got a strong voice and has a great taste in synthesizer and keyboard tones, plus the songs have some crisp, evocative production. Some of his songs have a spiritual streak too (like "Higher Love", "Wake Me Up on Judgement Day" and "Help Me Angel"), which is interesting.



A couple of the tracks ("Help Me Angel", "Valerie" and "Talking Back To the Night") are remixed by producer Tom Lord Alge, who more recently mixed Evermore's album "Real Life". Not having heard the original Steve Winwood solo albums, I can only guess what he's done (added a bit of drum machine here and there, I think), but the tracks are catchy enough.



The booklet contains a brief history of Steve's recording career, with a couple of quotes from Steve himself. Doesn't say who the booklet is written by, which would have been nice to know."