Customer Reviews

From Monday to Sunday

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I suppose it isn't surprising that an album of this caliber went unnoticed in an era where post-grunge, slacker posturing clogs the airwaves and garners all the attention. From Monday to Sunday is a pop masterpiece all the way through. It will make you believe in music again. While "Kite" got some moderate airplay on college radio, some of the greatest gems herein never received any. "January Man" and "Mr. Plain" were instant classics the moment I heard their intoxicating choruses. Nick Heyward is a true unsung pop master.

I liked "Pelican West" by Nick's old band Haircut 100, so after he went solo I decided to try out this album. I guess "floored" was the word for my reaction the first time I heard it. This stuff sounds almost NOTHING like Haircut 100, which surprised me. No, it's a lot more guitar-oriented and poppish, more accomplished-sounding, infinitely catchy and just so much BETTER. I loved "Love Plus One" and the like, but this album is something else. Not a bad song in the bunch. If you like good, intelligent pop, this is it.

The first track, "He Doesn't Love You Like I Do", portends this LP to be one of 1994's best pop treats: a brilliantly catchy melody played out over letter perfect chimey guitars and superb double-tracked harmony vocal that are variously reminiscent of the Everly Brothers or more neo-Country harmonizers such as Rank and File.

Heyward has always carried an undeservedly bad repuation as the one-time vocalist of the British pop group, Haircut 100. Undeserved, because their debut LP, "Pelican West" was a tremendous pop LP that whose high-quality music was eclipsed in the public's mind by the band's MTV images. Heyward doesn't move too far afield here, and many of the tracks sound almost as if they were lifted from the Haircut 100 sessions, right down to the Penny Lane-ish trumpet that was used so effectively in Haircut 100's "Fantastic Day."

This solo spin proves that Haircut 100 was anything but an empty haircut band. Heyward's songs and singing are truly extraordinary.

This album is really stunning. I heard "Kite" when it used to get played on the radio, and I liked it, but I feel the rest of the album surpasses that track. "Into Your Life," "Ordinary People," and "...Sunshine" are my favorites. Such rich textures and Nick's great voice... wow!

Why isn't this album on the top 10 of any "Best albums of all time" lists. This record is brilliant beyond words. It deserves more than five stars. I can't explain this record exactly but I would say this would be the sound version to your Idea of the best day you ever had. Beautiful just like rainy days.

A great album that came out at perhaps the greatest time in modern music history. Well, at least it felt that way to me, just starting out in college. I briefly heard this album at first and thought it was OK. I saw Nick perform live at the Whiskey in Hollywood and was sold. The album didn't leave my CD listening rotation for many years. But the times changed, I got older and my music tastes went down new and interesting paths. After years of collecting dust, I recently went back and heard this album again. One word: fantastic!! Bubbling over with pop goodness, this album is perfect for that summer day at the beach. Especially songs like "How Can You Live Without Sunshine" and "Mr. Plain". And what about the little hidden track at the end? "I rode away from you..." the song laments. Who knows why this didn't become a full grown-up song? Had Nick run out of creative energy at that point? Who knows, but it's satisfying in its simplicity and a great way to end the album.

Nick Heyward, formerly of Haircut 100, puts forth a fantastic solo album with some real depth and meaning to the lyrics. When I first heard Kite on the radio it was in the middle of the grunge "movement" (if you can call it such) and I was disgusted with most of what was on the radio. The only decent music was far and few between and was mostly from Britain. Upon hearing this for the first time I jumped up and had to have the whole cd. It was not release in America yet but my husband was able to get his hands on an import version for my birthday. I played it so much I was afraid I'd wear it out. It's just a fantastic cd with interesting music and thought provoking lyrics. This is one I can play over and over.

For me, this is Heyward's best, though I really enjoy his work in general. There are some great, power pop ballads here. Too bad he never got a US following - saw him one back in the 90's and he put on a great show.

I'm so glad I discovered Nick Heyward as a solo artist. I had no idea he was still around making music (loved Haircut 100). I don't know why he isn't more well-known-he writes some very catchy, complex stuff. Sad that I didn't discover this album when it came out but happy to have it now! I won't say that every song is a gem but overall it's very enjoyable.

From Monday To Sunday sounds a little like a mixture between Elvis Costello, The Smithereens and Crowded House. This is one of the more melodic albums to come out in the past 20 years. It is right up there with Girlfriend by Matthew Sweet, Teenage Symphonies To God by Velvet Crush, Banjos And Sunshine by Sixty Acres, Isolation Party by Tommy Keene and Songs From Northern Britain by Teenage Fanclub. What these albums have in common are strong, catchy melodies in both the choruses AND the verses on practically every song on the whole album.