Customer Reviews

15 Minutes

5 star:		(36)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I *knew* there was a reason I liked Nik Kershaw. You're always looking back at your past and thinking "Are my memories coated with nostalgia?" After crossing my fingers as I slid the CD into the player, I found that I love Nik's new work just as much as ever. Clever and real lyrics, great melodies & unique chord progressions that few people could pull off so cleanly. All his songs have a very strong sense of purpose; unlike a lot of pop, Nik's songs progress and don't just "get into a groove".

His earlier idealism seems to have been softened a bit; his song "God Bless" has both the lyric "Heaven help old Joseph Bloggs in his cardboard box" and "God bless the stock exchange". However, songs like "Your Brave Face" seem to just be a recycling of his thoughts in "She Cries". Generally, though, his themes are modern, such as "Billy", a wonderful study in the difficulties in marriage; and "How Do You Like It So Far", a statement about ones dreams and accomplishments in life. "Have a Nice Life" is a wonderful father-to-son tribute, and the opening song "Somebody Loves You" is not only a great piece of pop, but also allows "15 Minutes" (the song and the album) to come full circle cleanly.

The early part of the album is just superb, but the latter part drags a bit. Unlike his earlier albums, there aren't many change-ups in style and tempo between songs. However, still one of the best albums I own, and one of Nik's best ever. There's no nostalgia at work here -- he *is* that good.

I first heard Nik Kershaw's 15 Minutes CD at a listening station at a record store when it first came out. I am not a big fan of his, but I remember him from the early/mid 1980s and was interested in what he was doing currently. Boy, was I surprised. The first track is unbelievably catchy. The chorus is wonderful. "Have a Nice Life" is nice in a sing-along sort of way. "Find Me an Angel" is hauntingly beautiful. "Your Brave Face" is an addictive rocker. "What Do You Think of It So Far?" has one of the best choruses I've heard in a long time. "God Bless" is a different-sounding song with some interesting, and strangely familiar, guitar work. "Fiction" is a pleasant, slow number with more nice acoustic guitar and lyrics like: "If they made a film of the book of the memory with Bobby De Niro and Demi De Moore, you'd sit in your seat with your popcorn and chocolate, and wonder aloud at the point of it all." The heavy sounding chorus to "Made in Heaven" makes the song. "Shine On" is adequate but "15 Minutes" is an excellent ending, I especially like the synthesizer/orchestra part. Almost every track here is excellent. The only track I do not care for as much is "Billy" which seems like overly forced story-telling about a girl looking for Mr. Right and falls for a boy wanting numerous Mrs. Rights. It is cute, though, and I think a lot of people will like it.

As one might guess, I bought this CD right after leaving the listening station, and only when I got home to listen to it on my stereo did I discover that this CD does not end with "15 Minutes" but includes a bonus remake of Kershaw's early 1980s hit "Wouldn't It Be Good." I was very happy to hear this song, as it was the track I most remember from Nik Kershaw's 1980s output. It is slower rendition of the song with acoustic guitar. It is not as good as the original, of course, but it was still a welcomed surprise. 13 quality tracks! I would not be surprised if Kershaw's most devoted fans call 15 Minutes his best album.

Even though Nik Kershaw was something of a one-hit wonder in the United States (with "Wouldn't It Be Good"), he actually landed many hit singles in the UK. My family got hooked on his albums in the 80s. After his first two albums, his sales faltered, ending with the tragically ignored _The Works_ in 1989. For ten years, Nik Kershaw didn't release any new albums, although he did produce several other artists, lending his writing talents, and had a few "featuring" positions on some lesser-known artists. Unknown to the public -- and certainly unknown in the States -- Nik had suffered badly from his meteoritic rise to fame and fortune and the sudden deflating of his "15 minutes." This 1999 release, so appropriately titled, essentially consists of material he worked on over the ten year gap since his last album -- as he put it, it was material too personal to really lend to other artists, and it was more of a healing process than a commercial effort. It's obviously Nik Kershaw, but he's moved on from the 80s and the obvious pain that the "one hit wonder" branding caused him. Every single track on this album is outstanding and not to be missed.

I couldn't buy this CD fast enough when it came out. He had good press coverage in the UK, with some excellent reviews prior to the album release. The single 'Somebody Loves You' was released towards the beginning of 1999, but it was not a great success. Funnily enough, if there had to be a weak track on the album (and I don't think there is) it would probably have to be that track. No one writes tracks like 'Have a nice life', 'Billy', 'What do you think of it so far', 'Made in Heaven', and 'Shine' any more. You'll be singing and humming before the end of the first play.

I am pleased to see that there were such positive reviews from the States and elsewhere, which begs the question 'What does he have to do to have a hit nowadays?'

Let's hope there is a record company out there that will have enough faith and resources to give Kershaw the further success he deserves.

Artists like Nik Kershaw, Andrew Gold and Jude Cole are part of tht select club whose magic seems obvious to music afficianados but obscured to the mass of the music buying public. I don't know what justice there is in being a musician's musician or a songwriter's songwriter, but Nik Kershaw is both. I was of course familiar with Nik's 80's output - "The Riddle" being a class pop record that is still very listenable today and "Radio Musicola" that followed, revealed a sharp wit and keen observations, as well as an artist that didn't take himself too seriously. That, however is no excuse for us not to!!
Buy "15 Minutes" and hear the musings of a mature artist, blessed with a great pop sensibility.

I remembered "Wouldn't it Be Good" and "The Riddle" as the ultimate pop-songs from my childhood. Many, many years went by and then suddenly I saw an ad of the album "15 minutes" on a local paper. I was scared: would it destroy all the good memories I had? Would the music still be the same kind of synth-pop or what? ...

Well, when I finally had the courage to by the album it totally changed my world. Honestly I cried the first time I heard the album. Imagine a guy sitting on a full bus crying and smiling listening to Nik Kershaw. But I couldn't help myself.

It's so rare in today's pop-music that you can instantly hear true emotions from the music. And now I don't mean just the lyrics, but the music itself.

Also, the album is so full of the most wonderful and catchy melodies that after you've heard the album a couple of times you won't be able to sleep. You simply can't get rid of the music. The arrangements are also interesting as they were already in the eighties.

I've never read a single interview of Nik, but still I love the guy. The man behind this and with a voice like that simply can't be evil.

Please buy this album, it can change your world.

I've owned 15 Minutes for about a year or so to date and it remains one of my favourite albums. Even if you don't remember Nik Kershaw from the 80s this album is excellent in its own right, and the style of music differs so sharply that it (almost) might as well be a different artist altogether. Only his lyrical genius and witticism remain and this is something for the most part desperately lacking in much contemporary music.

The CD begins with Somebody Loves You, a look into the importance of your fans. With lines like "Who's gonna love me, when they're gone?" we get an idea of what it must have been like for him at the end of the 80s when his popularity slumped and he stopped releasing CDs. Much of this CD is very personal and reflective, as we can see in tracks like Have a Nice Life, Billy, Fiction and Shine On. The tracks are all acoustic, some such as Your Brave Face and What do you think of it so far? having a faster pace.

The overall theme of the album though revolves around Kershaw's fascination / obsession with his instant rise to popularity during his heydey of commercial success and then rapid decline. This has been evident in past songs such as Wide Boy "He got no sense but he got money..." and Take My Place "The time has come for abdication..." from The Works. It works very well however and the theme is palpably reminiscent throughout the CD, especially in the title track 15 Minutes which closes the album beautifully with an alarm clock ringing, indicating his time's up.

It's not for everyone, but 15 Minutes is a great album on the whole and an especially good choice if you're looking for something a bit different and with contrived lyrics. Great to see him back after a decade with such a fresh sound.

At first I was going to write this review and say how there is no justice in the world when this guy can write twelve fantastic songs and they will be heard by so few people.I've changed my mind, there is justice in a way, that the majority will spend their money on garbage like westlife and celine dion, but those people who are prepared to take a chance on this record will get much more than they pay for.I bought this three years ago, and still listen to it now, it's honestly brilliant, please give it a chance !

Getting older is harder than I thought... and part of getting older is feeling alienated from the mainstream of popular music. Man, talk about a generation gap! And yet, there are those times while wandering through the desert one finds an oasis, like Nik Kershaw. Relief at last!

What I enjoy most about Nik's music, especially 15 Minutes, are the excellent melodies, progressions, and lyric. There is a subtle mystery in this music, not unlike Roy Orbison's, in that the music tends to always be moving forward. Roy Orbison has a way of progression that mixes and melds melodies in such a way that negates the need for a chorus, sometimes starting over here and ending over there.

Nik manages to produce same Orbison-esque feeling in his music, but he retains a center, never letting his listener get lost-you know where it began and where it ends. Nik uses fine melodies, thought-provoking lyrics, and rich productions to draw you in, and he keeps you there with a complex construction of sounds and rhythms. The more you listen, the more you hear, the more you like, the more you want. The Zen of it all is, it's just plain great music. And I'm looking forward to his next release. Soon, I hope!

Well, Nik has undoubtably proved himself to be a true guru. This album is nothing less than brilliant. Every song is a true inspiration, the lyrics are, as usual, art! I love "Find me an Angel", "What do you think of it so far" and "Made in Heaven" as well as the title track, but every song is excellent. Nik - wherever you are - congratulations! If you ever consider coming to Australia I will be there!