Customer Reviews

Kid in a Big World

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OVERALL RECORD/ARTIST OF THE YEAR 2004:

John Howard: "kid in a big world" (2004 RPM label/reissue from 1974) + "technicolor biography" (2004 RPM label/demos 1974) and...after 30 years..."the dangerous hours" (2004/2005): a new masterpiece on par with his KIABW input of mid-seventies...all followers/enjoyers of melodymaking around must check this brutally gifted artist... extraordinary vocals from Mr.Howard on the three records, supergenerous & catchy tunes constructed on piano&keyboards (lots of deja-vu pleasures) and, as in every classic album, no filler tracks...i'm frequently thinking of mr.howard's musical production on the same league that my top-of-the-list 70s classics from usa/uk/even spain -Cánovas, Rodrigo, Adolfo & Guzmán- (ejem, too many names to mention)...but John's career was absurdly stopped by his major, CBS, marketing strategies of the moment: 1973-1974...anyway his new album "The Dangerous Hours" is a real beauty of a record, easily enjoyable by major audiences, and i think Mr.Howard is in excellent moods preparing his Manchester gigs. Coldbrain thinking there's no international pop artist around in 2004 who present such a past 12 months career, with three new* releases (even with the cruel paradox that between records there's 30-years silence).

*KIABW is like new, bkos suddenly vanished in his vinyl format...Ah! and KIABW and TB was recorded on sacrosaint Abbey Road and BBC facilities...the sound in the RPM rescue-mission is excellent, bonus tracks are a must with lots of hi-quality tunes, and the overall products are true delights...Don't worry about the demo stages of all the "Technicolour Biography" takes, the pretty songs are very well defended by John's pianos and voices...Lately isn't usual to find an album made only on keyboards* & vocals, i think is a brave move only affordable if you got the Quality Control Radar (QCR;-) on...Look out for John live if you're such a lucky person! (he tours selected UK dates at the moment). BEST TO ALL READERS & PEACE!

*thanks for the pleasure of earing again the soooooo 70s fender rhodes on fantastic TDH tunes!

It's really not a wonder to me why John Howard's records never "took off" or why the label dropped him. Both of these discs sound like an artist struggling (read: trying too hard) to make a hit pop record...kind of like when Elton lost it around Rock of The Westies - except his band had the chops to lift the sub-par songs somewhat. These are grand attempts at the piano-based, and occasionally camp, singer-songwriter (a la early Elton) genre but sadly this stuff is just plain mediochre. The lyrics are blase and at times quite honestly embarrassing (i.e. "some good good loving"??). I tried hard to like these records but the songs are just not quite there. If you want to hear an early seventies lost jewel then turn to Bill Fay, NOT John Howard.