OFF CENTRE (9/10)
Gilbert's 6th album, released 3 years after Southpaw found Gilbert at his creative peak. Even though some of the songs had been written in 1974 (The Niceness Of It All and Can't Get Enough Of You) and from what I read in the Fan Club Letters section of Brian King's website, What's In A Kiss might have been written in 1974 also.
Listening to the first cut "I Love It But" makes me think Gilbert was singing about CBS Records executives. They like the song or album but it could be better and in the end they tell him it's not very good. Kind of a sad song specially the way Gilbert sings it, so i was expecting a sad album but to my surprise the next 2 songs were up tempo songs. What's In A Kiss is a very witty song (GOS says he is well equipped to supply her with her every need).
The 3rd song "Hello It's Goodbye" is every teenagers nightmare (he wants to do more than holding hands, but before you know it hello it's goodbye). The next song is another up tempo fun song. I was 24 years old in 1980 when the album came out so i did not really understand what I'm Not Getting Any Younger really meant, 20 years later i know what GOS meant by "those grey hair are starting to appear and there are lines under my eyes.
The rest of the album is filled with wonderful ballads and a couple of fast ones such as "Help Is On The Way" So even though there are a couple of songs i don't really enjoy i think it's his best album along with Southpaw. But again what was disappointing was that the lyrics were not included (in the Canadian release) but at least the front cover had a nice picture of Gilbert.
FAVORITE SONGS
What's In A Kiss / For What It's Worth / Break It To Me Gently /
LEAST FAVORITE
Things That Go Bump In The Night / Or So They Say
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Email: jeydee@webtv.net
