Mike & The Mechanics, Rewired

Mike & The Mechanics, Rewired - This is a solid album with some strong titles such as 'I don't want it all' and 'One left standing'. The acompanying DVD is fabulous.

Mike & The Mechanics, Rewired - In 1980 Mike Rutherford ventured on a solo-side-leap (Small Creep's Day), with a moderate Continental success by the way (featuring Noel Mc Calla - present M.Mann's Earthband singer). In 1985, he formed Mike & The Mechanics. From the album of the same name, 2 singles reached the top 10 ("Silent Running" and "All I Need Is a Miracle"). In the meantime, Rewired is the 7th in a row, 5 years after M6.

All vocal parts are now sung by Paul Carrack (since Paul Young died unfortunately in July 2000). Respecting the record of the former Squeeze and Ace-lead vocalist, I think It's more than justified to let his name glitter next to Mike's, because his impact is quite high.

On this album, the guys have experimented with new electronic instrumentation, luckily without letting it dominate their usual style: recognizable pop with (some) influences from the (art-rock) past.

The first example is "One Left Standing" where electronics support the rhythms of a flowing pop song with some pre-echo and a less recognizable refrain. Paul Carrack's singing talents show a better advantage on "If I Were You". This slow track, in the good M&M tradition, couples dramatic interpretation with quite a nice tune and catchy arrangement.

A minus track on the CD is, in my opinion, the 'Living Years' clone "Perfect Child". Imagine the melody of the mega-Christmas-hit on this text : << I want a perfect child - to live a perfect life in this world - and though my heart tells me this could never be - I see it all so perfectly >> and you know what I mean!

The title track "Rewired" is instrumental, very rhythmical with a lot of accompanying noise. It rocks more than - for instance - the Alan Parsons tracks, but it is less melodious; more like a collection of soulless chords, too many echoes, but danceable.

No, I'd rather listen to "I Don't Want It All", because this track has it all: a strong melody, magnificent canto and a beautiful arrangement that fits. This is the golden combination I was looking for. The following slow track "How Can I" doesn't excel as a composition, but Paul's sensitive voice and the typical M&M riff lift the melody up above mediocrity.

The OOOOOOhhh' s of "Falling" would be nice at a Festival (to sing along with) but the poppy track itself is a little colourless.

"Somewhere Along the Line" is slow again, perfectly suited for 'Dancing on a Tile". At last "Underscore" is the instrumental version of Falling and, at the same time, the end of the CD. You can hear the electronics being used, experimenting with newer sounds

Rewired sounds a bit more 'Mechanic', more electronic and more colourless than former productions and has almost nothing to do with symphonic or progressive rock, but that was probably not the issue. The album itself is strong, tasteful and recognizable for Mike & the Mechanics fans. Paul Carrack has the class to upgrade compositions with his magnificent voice, but, this time, I feel that the compositions are a little weaker than before. But let's not forget: we are still talking about the premier pop league !!!

Included is a DVD with all tracks, provided with animated video images, co-made by pupils from the National Film and Television School. It's a Nice extra !!

Score 7.5/10

Walter haentjens for www.prog-nose.org