Top critical review
3.0 out of 5 starsWatch what happens!
Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on May 13, 2002
I wouldn't put this in the pantheon of "greatest albums ever", but it is a personal favorite. I've heard almost everything Wes has done, from the hard core improv to the fluffy pop, and while I prefer the former, this so-called pop album is special to me. Particularly because of his version of 'Watch What Happens'. It's a rare occasion when the usually cheesy Don Sebesky orchestration works well; but on that song he created a great arrangement that makes Wes sound like he's playing on a cloud. His playing on this song, the cottony soft octaves and particularly his solo, is a reminiscent of sunny Summer's day. I've listened to 'Watch What Happens' over and over for years, and it never ceases to amaze me. It's a song never anthologized and rarely mentioned, but a classic nonetheless. The rest of the album works too, even the Beatles cover, which is charming and actually pretty funky. Yes, Wes is nearly drowned out by the strings, something which irritates a lot of people, but you can still hear him clearly, and the strings, while occasionally pretentious and intrusive, are generally interesting and well-done. Arranger Sebesky achieved a unique sound on this recording, something he didn't do on the similar but lesser album "Road Song". "A Day In The Life" is consistently rewarding. I give it a solid 3 stars, not only because of the combination of Wes' playing and Sebesky's successfullness in backing him up, but because of the song selection and the very special feeling this album gives me when I hear it. Very, very 60's, which is a *good* thing.
By the way, I suspect that the picture of Wes on the back cover, holding his head in his hands and looking defeated, is a joke. I once read about someone who was a friend of his, ran into Wes at a club, and Wes went out to his car trunk to give his friend his latest pop album, and he seemed very embarrased about it, by either the cover or the content. Wes was somewhat under fire at the time, being accused of "selling out" his jazz roots in favor of shallow pop recordings. Wes was a sensitive, unassuming guy who probably took that kind of ridiculousness seriously. That's so sad, and unfair. This is a damn fine album and he should have been proud to give it to anyone. Wes' pop albums have impressed and intimidated just as many guitar players as his jazz albums did - there was just no stopping that kind of talent. Wes shines through on anything he ever did - the Golden Thumb. There will never be another like him.
