Pass It Around
Smokie
℗ 1975 RAK Records SRAK 510
This was the debut album for Smokie, an English quartet who were a pet project for legendary English pop producers Nicky Chinn and Mike Chapman. Although their unique blend of country-rock and pop would soon make Smokie a big success in Europe, their style comes off as tentative and unfocused on Pass It Around. The group's instrumental performance is tight and their Beach Boys-meet-Sweet vocal harmonies are quite pleasing to the ear but their songwriting abilities are not up to snuff. Too many of the songs are weighed down with lightweight lyrics: "It Makes Me Money" is a petulant jab at rock critics, and "A Day at the Mother-in-Law's" is a gimmicky novelty tune that wears out its welcome after the first listen. The worst offender in this respect is "Headspin," a song that wastes its catchy central country-rock riff on a silly lyric about getting drunk. Other songs feel more like loose collections of riffs than fully realized compositions: "Goin' Tomorrow" rides its galloping guitar riff into the ground through endless repetition, and "I Do Declare" runs into the same problem despite a catchy chorus. Despite this problem, echoes of the group that Smokie would eventually become shine through here and there: "Daydreamin'" works an infectious harmony-driven chorus into a likable guitar-fueled melody and the surprisingly complex arrangement of "Don't Turn Out Your Light" weaves serpentine guitar lines and a chorus built on escalating harmonies into a beguiling little pop tune. In the end, though, the inconsistent moments outweigh the solid tunes. Thus, Pass It Around can only be recommended to the Smokie completist. — Donald A. Guarisco. |
- 1. Pass It Around (Chinn — Chapman) [03:07]
- 2. Daydreamin' (Norman — Spencer — Uttley) [02:16]
- 3. Oh Well, Oh Well (Norman — Spencer) [03:17]
- 4. My Woman [03:22]
- 5. It Makes Me Money [02:57]
- 6. Headspin [03:31]
- 7. Goin' Tomorrow [03:44]
- 8. I Do Declare [03:46]
- 9. Don't Turn Out Your Light [04:01]
- 10. Will You Love Me [03:45]
- 11. A Day at the Mother-In-Law's [02:51]
- 12. The Coldest Night [04:16]
- 13. Shy Guy [03:25]
Участие в альбоме:
- Chris Norman: guitar, keyboards, vocals
- Alan Silson: guitar, vocals
- Peter Spencer: drums, saxophone, vocals
- Terry Uttley: bass, vocals
Тексты:
Pass It Around
(Chinn — Chapman)
Well do you know how it feels To be walkin' around with your run down heels and do you know just how it looks to be left outside with your college books And the great thing ybout being you Is you can do whatever you want to do So if you turn on to something good and by the way you're going God knows you should If you turn on to something good If you turn on to something good Pass it around Well do you know what it's like To be locked inside nearly every night And do you know how people talk when you ain't got a car so you walk, walk, walk and the great thing about being you Is you're free to do what you want to do So if you turn on to something good... don't keep it to yourself cos I ain't got nothin' else Don't keep it to yourself cos I need your help So if you turn on to something good...
Daydreamin'
(Norman — Spencer — Uttley)
Daydreamin' is an occupation I know 'Cos I got nothin else to do Daydreamin' is an occupation I know I sit alone and think of you And I don't believe in make believe don't deceive myself All that I have left of you Is up here on the shelf Stargazin' is an occupation I know I watch them flashing through the sky I see your face with every twinkle of the night Can't stop myself from asking why And I don't believe in make believe... And I don't believe in make believe...
Oh Well, Oh Well
(Norman — Spencer)
Oh well, oh well, you're on your own again yes And who can tell, Maybe this time, that's how you'll stay Too bad too bad, He's gone and left you but it's So sad so sad I warned you about the things you say You wonder why You lose every guy You don't even try It's just the things you say Hello hello, Who's this you're talking to now and so, and so looks like you've found another day You wonder why... Now you've gone and brought him down and he says he ain't hangin' around you have told him that he's n good He doesn't do the things he should No wonder he has gone away all that's left for Oh well, oh well, you're on your own again yes And who can tell, Maybe this time, that's how you'll stay Too bad too bad, He's gone and left you but it's So sad so sad I warned you about the things you sayme to say is, You wonder why...
The Coldest Night
12