Customer Reviews

You've got to laugh

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(0)
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A singularly stunning melodic Pop album from this much under appreciated vocalist/songwriter. Very happy to finally see this amazing project available as a download via Amazon, and although I purchased the physical CD (sonically superior to MP3s) from his website, I'm glad to find the word is spreading.

After his initial commercial success in the mid80s with hits like 'Won't It Be Good' and 'The Riddle', Kershaw all but disappeared only to resurface and reinvent himself after 10 years in 1999 with the brilliant and poignant '15 Minutes' - a Power Pop masterpiece. Followed a couple years later by the disappointing 'To Be Frank', I thought he'd lost 'the muse' once again. I could not have been more wrong. 'You've Got To Laugh' is another stroke of pop genius.

Nik is a 'deep cat' in the best sense of the word. He clearly thinks about his place in the universe and the relationships, observations and emotions that affect his life - all so beautifully captured in his writing. Joyous (Oh you beautiful thing), Humorous (She could be the one), Brash (I hope you're happy now), Stirring (Born yesterday), Intriguing (Old house). 'Promises, Promises': it doesn't get any better in Pop songwriting. Add to all this: insightful arrangements, stellar production and - the icing on the cake - the VOICE. The guy is an incredible and versatile vocalist, bobbing & weaving melody upon alternate melody with perfectly layered harmonies. And the recording itself is dynamic and not smashed in your face like the last atrocious offering from Kershaw's countryman, and obvious influence, Sir Paul.
Interestingly enough, the weakest song here is the Bush-basher 'Loud, confident and wrong' - not that I don't thoroughly agree with the sentiment - but, in the midst of such grace, this angry outburst seems misplaced. A very small misstep in an otherwise superb collection.

I've gushed enough. Buy the whole album. This is as good as it gets in the Pop world, folks.

How this genius has been overlooked by the American music audience astounds me. I own everything he has ever done, and it is all brilliant. I highly recommend him!!!

been a fan of nik's since his human racing album more people should give a
listen ... i enjoy creative song writing and the fact that his music is his own ....not striving to be to commercail or corprate canned ..yhia collection of songs is as good as 15 miutes that i thought was great

This is a special recording. The craftmanship of songwriting is astounding. I was looking to download Wouldn't Be Good and read all the great reviews on YGTL and listened to the samples. Purchased a download and listened to it constantly. These songs will ring through your head every moment your are not listening to it. Any fan of Martin Briley, Kevin Gilbert, 10cc should add this to your collection.Stunning musicianship,superbly recorded, lyrics that a man in his mid-40s can relate to and laugh about. I needed the lyrics and the credits, so I sprung for the actual CD, which I recomend you do as well.
Get It!

Musical environments varied and eclectic around a pop/rock dynamic, the whole carried by texts rich, inspired and a peel of humour : Nik Kershaw is here in great form !! A must.

pretty much everything Nik has released since his 1999 "comeback", has been GOLD. I love the melodies this guy writes! just when you think he's done and cant write another original tune, he writes 12 more!!!!!
On "you've gotta laugh"....there are so many moments of great musicianship and songwriting ,but the standouts for me are of course the title track "you've go to laugh", "Lost" "you dont have to be the sun", and of course the blatant anti-Bush tune "Loud, confident, and wrong".

Nik proves that his songwriting only gets better and more instrospective with age ,as he sings in "she could the one", a song about starting over at 25 years married.

I believe the best is yet to come from this lost gem of England....

Unlike anyone else I still do enjoy mr. Kershaw's 80's material. As a reviewer of music I think there were more to his 80's pop material than "The Riddle" and "Wouldn't it be good". Songs such as "One World", "Wide Boy" and "One step ahead" are still good and catchy.
Kershaw has not improved - he has evolved. And after the 80's commercial period he came back strongly with "15 minutes", a record with great tracks and a much more grown up Nik Kershaw. Afterwords he made "To Be Frank", which in my opinion was a great record too.

Now he is back with "You've got to laugh", a phrase from the first track "can't get arrested", with a tango-like sound. Other highlight on the record, though there is not any particular weak tracks, are "promises promises", "Old House", "You don't have to be the sun" and "All about you". Nik Kershaw surely makes his music in order of his own state of mind and for this time his state of mind could not be better.
He have once again made a terrific album with a bunch of great songs and my favourite changes everytime I listen to it.
I've bought it on his official website, because it was not to get hold of in any other way - and it is the buy of the month!