Customer Reviews

Now Look

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Such a great record, but nobody seems to know it exists.

I had the Now Look LP for about 2 years before I could ever convince myself to leave Side 1 and check out Side 2. Side 2 is pretty good--but I still don't leave Side 1 very often. The first four tracks, in particular, are outstanding.

What to say about "Breath On Me,' except that it was in my all-time top 20--and that's without being able to decipher some of the lyrics.

That song, and in fact the entire record, sound more like the Faces "Ooh La La" than the Stones "Some Girls," but I can see that comparison too.

Don't buy this record expected to hear much Keith Richards, though he does appear, mostly singing harmony and a bit of slide on a couple of tracks. This is a Faces LP without Rod Stewart, not a Stones record without Mick.

Buy it and love it.

Right from the opening track, the classy "I Got Lost When I Found You," Ron Wood proves just how wasted his talents have been in The Stones. Song after song, one has to wonder if the Jagger-Richards songwriting monopoly simply feared being exposed by bringing in Wood as a more prominent collaborator. Compared to many of the lackluster Stones albums of the time ("Black and Blue," "It's Only Rock'n'Roll", "Goats Head Soup"), "Now Look" stands as a punchy, fun, and inventive collection that never fails to entertain.

Recruiting the skills of Bobby Womack as partner songwriter on more than one track, plus the aid of various sensible luminaries (among them Ian MacLagan), Ron Wood manages to exude a charm all his own and come out grinning at the other end. It's plain difficult not to like an album like this. For those who need more than one Stone in an album, Keith comes in to play some shambolic guitar and add backing vocals. In fact, Wood's own singing resembles Keith's, particularly reminiscent of the latter's vocals on "Happy."

Together with "Gimme Some Neck" and "I've Got My Own Album To Do," "Now Look" is a Faces-Stones' fan dream come true.

Ron Wood's second solo album yet his best until this date; not many people heard of this album so be prepared for some great rock sound. If you are into the Faces or some of the early Rolling Stones, you will definitely find this album a great treat.

a very good friend of mine turned me on to this album for which i am eternally grateful for, because this is without a doubt the best album of ronnie wood's spectacular solo career. with such standout tracks like "I CAN'T STAND THE RAIN" and "BREATHE ON ME" ronnie wood shows us how talented he actually is. but then with the the tracks "BIG BAYOU" and "SWEET BABY MINE" he turns a great album into a piece of rock n' roll heaven. you may have heard ronnie wood but "NOW LOOK".

Ron Wood's "Now Look" was released in June 1975, at a time when Wood certainly earned his first place showing as 'most valuable player' in "Creem" magazine's annual poll. Wood was everywhere that year, starting with a spring Faces tour, followed by his long anticipated debut with The Rolling Stones on their Tour Of The Americas that summer, and returning for a fall farewell tour of the States with Faces. In between there were recording sessions with Faces (one new single, and several tracks for a never-completed final studio album), work on the Stones' "Black and Blue", a variety of live guest appearences (Led Zeppelin) and sessions with the likes of Eric Clapton and Keith Moon.
Most revealingly, Wood somehow remained committed to both Faces and The Stones for over a year, though one can imagine stress and a sense of inevitability permeated the Faces' camp. Whatever the strain on a great band that always lived in the shadow (usually Rod Stewart's), I caught them on that last tour, exuding the joyful camaraderie and rocking with the controlled looseness that made them so special, even if the set was dominated by Stewart's, and now Wood's solo material. When the end came that December, it was Rod Stewart who announced he was leaving the band, moving to L.A. (and beginning a long, depressing artistic decline) to live and work with 'real' (i.e. session) musicians.
Ron Wood's direct involvement with the Stones began early in 1974, when Keith Richards became Wood's main collaborator on the latter's solo debut, "I've Got My Own Album To Do" (singing, playing, and contributing two new Jagger/Richards songs). Around the same time Wood co-wrote 'It's Only Rock 'N Roll' with Mick Jagger. Wood's debut album featured Stewart, Jagger, George Harrison, Mick Taylor, and Mick Waller, but it was the core band (Richards, fellow-Face Ian McLagan, ex-Sly Stone drummer Andy Newmark, and bassist Willie Weeks) and mostly superb material that made the album a cohesive cross between the Stones and Faces, with a 'funkier' rhythm section. The album holds up, except for the unfortunate backing vocals of the Chanter Sisters on a couple tracks, and the rare intrusion of an ARP synthesizer. Indeed, material from the album was performed on both Faces and Stones tours over the following year.
"Now Look", the less star-studded followup is even better. In retrosect, it's clear Wood is not just a songwriter and guitarist with histinctive and extraordinary style. Equally crucial is his remarkable gift for collaboration, and for "Now Look" Bobby Womack was on board, the soul great whose guitar and songs graced classics by Sam Cooke, Aretha Franklin, Wilson Picket, Gabor Szabo, the Box Tops, and even Sly & The Family Stone's legendary "There's A Riot Goin' On". Womack co-produces with Wood and McLagan, and "Now Look" sounds like "Riot" in places, thanks to that inimitable Womack guitar as well as the dense rhythm tracks. "Now Look" bears a similar relationship to its predecessor that "Black and Blue" does to "It's Only Rock 'n Roll" - both NL and B&B overtly incorporate contemporary black styles such as funk (The Meters, J.B.'s), Philly Soul, Fats Waller, and reggae in the Stones case, resulting in a very enjoyable transitional work, full of great grooves and ensemble playing but only a few first rate songs (i.e. "Fool To Cry"). "Now Look" is likewise steeped in then-recent black idioms, but feels more integrated, with classic soul and funk merging seamlessly, amidst the Stones' guitar grunge courtesy Keith on Wood/Womack' satisfyingly extended "I Can Say She's Alright" and a great cover of Ann Peebles' Hi Records hit "I Can't Stand The Rain." It's a joy to listen to Keith sing harmony along with Ron on one of Wood's greatest songs, 'Breathe On Me' which debuted here in a sensuous and intimate six-and-a-half-minute version. Add "I Got Lost When I Found You," "I Got A Feeling", and "If You Don't Want My Love" and the result is not just a great groove album but an album of terrific songs. As expected, Womack and Wood make a terrific guitar team. Wood's vocals - backed by Womack's - may not seem to be up to such material but his occasionally wavering pitch and genuine feel for the material gives the album its delicacy and vulnerability. I should also point out another highlight, "It's Unholy," a funky Isleys-type groove that turns into a masterful polyrhythmic jam, and a rare appearence of both Wood and the man he replaced, Mick Taylor (who was present on two or three songs on "I've Got"). Taylor's scorching slide helps make it easily the best thing they worked on together. Once again Wood uses Ian McLagan and the Newmark/Weeks rhythm section on nearly every track (Faces drummer Kenny Jones plays on two).
Wood has successfully collaborated with Stewart, Ronnie Lane, Jagger, Richards, Bernard Fowler, Bob Dylan, Eric Clapton, and Bo Diddley among others, and song-for-song "Now Look" is more consistant than any Womack album. Rather than recalling a Faces/Stones love child, this album establishes its owns identity as a great rock/soul/funk album, better than ever thirty years after its release. Now if only, say, Rhinohandmade would upgrade the 1993 remaster with a new "Complete Warner Bros Recordings" I'd really be happy.

This album may not knock you out on first listen, or the first few listens, but eventually it grows on you and the songs seep into your brain, growing in power until you just can't resist them. In my opinion this was Ronnie's best, most consistent solo album. It didn't hurt that he surrounded himself with a stellar cast of musicians and songwriters (I'd love to hear him do more with Bobby Womack; what a pairing!), but it's Woodies charm and style that really make this album as good as it is.

I think Now Look is the best and classiest of the Woody solo albums with I've Got My Own Album to Do running a close second.

Worth noting that the Rhino release is bare bones when it comes to liner notes. The US Warner Bros version of Now Look reproduces ALL of the original LP contents.

The WB release includes a song by song artist credits hand written by Woody himself, four pages of pics with Ronnie, Keith and the other players, and a final page showing track listings with running times. It's all nicely done and the CD sounds great, although I haven't heard the Rhino release.

Keith is credited harmony vocal on Breath on Me and guitar on I Can Say She's Alright
Mick Taylor is credited slide guitar on It's Unholy
Bobby Womack is credited guitar on a good majority of the tracks

Other players:

Ian McLagan-keyboards
Willie Weeks-piano
Andy Newmark-drums
Kenny Jones-drums
Jean Roussell - clarinet and electric piano
The Womack Sisters - backing vocals

One of the great unheralded records ever recorded. Don't hesitate, just buy it. I've heard a couple other Ron Wood solo records, and nothing ever knocked me out like this one. Just great rhythm and blues from start to finish.

I think this is the best and classiest of the Woody solo albums with I've Got My Own Album to Do running a close second. These two albums were also both made with many of the same musicians.

Worth noting that the Rhino release is bare bones when it comes to liner notes. The US Warner Bros version reproduces ALL of the original LP contents.

The WB release includes a song by song artist credits hand written by Woody himself, four pages of pics with Ronnie, Keith and the other players, and a final page showing track listings with running times. It's all nicely done and the CD sounds great, although I haven't heard the Rhino release.

Keith is credited harmony vocal on Breath on Me and guitar on I Can Say She's Alright
Mick Taylor is credited slide guitar on It's Unholy
Bobby Womack is credited guitar on a good majority of the tracks

Other players:

Ian McLagan-keyboards
Willie Weeks-piano
Andy Newmark-drums
Kenny Jones-drums
Jean Roussell - clarinet and electric piano
The Womack Sisters - backing vocals

While Woody isn't a great singer, NOW LOOK is cheery, soulful, R&B-infused, roots-y, rough-hewn/boozy rock & roll. The PACKAGING on this IMPORT VERSION, however, sucks Midas mufflers. There are NO performer CREDITS AT ALL in the booklet, just the songs & writer creds. Jeez, Rhino UK, you could've at least provided a "collective personnel" list!!! Gad, how chintzy can you get?!? (I wonder if the US version has credits~?)