Saturday 16 September 2023

Another Year - LEO SAYER***

Bedsitterland/Unlucky In Love/The Last Gig Of Johnny B Goode/On The Old Dirt Road/I Will Not Stop Fighting/Moonlighting/Streets Of Your Town/The Kid's Grown Up/Only Dreaming/Another Year

Another Year was the final album from singer songwriter Leo Sayer’s more inventive period. His future albums would be more mainstream and commercial. Features the UK No. 2 hit Moonlighting, possibly his best song. (US:125 UK:8)

“Sayer's last album before he sold his soul under a discotheque mirror-ball for a career in light entertainment and I know which Leo I prefer. Like his two earlier albums, there's some earnest stuff here, mixed with a little light relief. Opener Bedsitterland sounds like early Elton John, in fact piano-melodies dominate the album, contributing to a largely downbeat collection of songs about outsiders on the run.”

“This is the third Leo Sayer album which is rather in a Billy Joel and Elton John vein, often singing ballads backed by a piano and sometimes strings and other instruments. Moonlighting is one of the best tunes ever written by this songwriter. The single's B side Streets Of Your Town is another nice ballad. However there is some filler, so a pleasant album with several minor weaknesses.”

“At times he maintains the quirkiness from the first album, but this is the best singing from Leo. Musically piano driven mostly and on ballads the music is very Elton. On more uptempo tunes the music is more reminiscent of Leon Russell.”

“After this he decided to become less quirky and more mainstream. I lost interest then.”

“This is a varied and surprising album with Leo in great voice. A shame his career went down a less interesting path (although probably more lucrative).”

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