BMG [Release date 07.04.17]

When Mike + The Mechanics played live recently – ostensibly to celebrate the 25th anniversary of Word Of Mouth – it was clearly evident they were also promoting a new album; taking pre-release orders in the foyer and, perhaps surprisingly, with four tracks in the setlist.

That gig demonstrated again that you can’t beat a good song and – sadly – 25 years after their period of greatest success they are unlikely to repeat it.  Although it has to be said the album remains radio-friendly throughout.

Let Me Fly is not unlike its predecessor The Road (2011) in being generally fairly forgettable with only a smidgen of really standout tracks.  In that sense the album can only really be viewed as a gesture and as a modern bolster to an already very fine catalogue based around some key late-eighties anthems.

The use of two vocalists may seem confusing but it’s been a feature since the glory days of Paul Young and Paul Carrack.  Tim Howar and Andrew Roachford have taken up their legacy with aplomb and are more settled in although Roachford really takes the lion’s share of the vocal spoils just as he does in the live context.

There aren’t enough more purposeful tracks like ‘Are You Ready’ and ‘The Letter’ to balance the safe and the saccharine.  Although the latter unashamedly echoes ‘Silent Running’ rather than breaks any new ground.  Whether by accident or design the weaker tracks appear to be those where Howar takes the lead, such as ‘The Best Is Yet To Come’, the insipid ‘High Life’ and ‘Love Left Over’.

At times, with the Roachford lead vocal tracks, you could be listening to one of Roachford’s solo albums and that can’t be right either.  And on ‘Not Out Of Love’ there are even echoes of ‘Another Cup Of Coffee’ lending the impression that there’s some lazy re-engineering going on.

It’s really the vocal performances – especially Roachford’s – that lift this album above the routine and the mundane.  With regard to instrumentation it’s typically synth-driven – Mike Rutherford was never one to use his electric guitar in anger and his contribution is typically muted allowing his vocalists the spotlight.

The title track with its rousing choir-assisted  chorus – although redolent of ‘Let It Be’ – and the early single ‘Don’t Know What Came Over Me’ remain the outstanding offerings here.

Notwithstanding Phil Collins’ return this summer Rutherford at least keeps the late-Genesis pop rock vibe flowing in 2017 although sadly it all seems somewhat sanitized even by late-Genesis standards.  ***1/2

Review by David Randall

David Randall presents ‘Assume The Position’ on Get Ready to ROCK! Radio every Sunday at 22:00 GMT.

Gig review (Manchester, 15 March 2017)
Album launch (London, 28 March 2017)

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Featured Artist: JOSH TAERK

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In 2023 he signed a recording deal with Sony in Canada and released a new single on 15 September.

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David Randall presents a weekly show on Get Ready to ROCK! Radio, Sundays at 22:00 GMT, repeated on Mondays and Fridays), when he invites listeners to ‘Assume The Position’. The show signposts forthcoming gigs and tours and latest additions at getreadytorock.com. First broadcast on 3 November 2024.

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Power Plays w/c 11 November 2024

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S8NT ELEKTRIC XTC (Long Branch Records)
ARCANA KINGS Here We Go (Curtain Call Records)
KLOGR face The Unknown (Zeta Factory)
BEYOND UNBROKEN Dance With The Dead (FiXT)
REVENGIN Decadent Feeling (Wormholedeath)

Featured Albums w/c 11 November 2024

09:00-12:00 The Best of 2003-2023 (Melodic Rock)
12:00-13:00 The Best of 2003-2023 (Melodic Hard Rock)
14:00-16:00 The Best of 2003-2023 (Singer Songwriter)

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