Mike + the Mechanics |
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Released: October 5, 1985 Peak: 26 US, 78 UK, 10 CN, 36 AU Sales (in millions): 0.5 US Genre: mainstream rock |
Tracks: Song Title (Writers) [time] (date of single release, chart peaks) Click for codes to singles charts.
Songs by Mike Rutherford and Christopher Neil unless noted otherwise. Total Running Time: 39:57 The Players:
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Rating:  3.776 out of 5.00 (average of 12 ratings)
Awards: (Click on award to learn more).
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About the Album: Mike Rutherford had been the bassist for British prog-rock group Genesis since its formation in 1967. In 1980, he branched out with his first solo album, Smallcreep’s Day and followed it with Acting Very Strange in 1982. The albums reached #13 and 23 in the UK respectively, but neither made much noise in the United States, peaking at #163 and 145 respectively. It was hard to know what to expect from Rutherford’s side project, Mike + the Mechanics, in 1985. Genesis was coming off the success of its second consecutive top-10, multi-platinum album in the United States and the most successful single of their career thus far with “That’s All” (#4). Still, Rutherford hadn’t exactly proven himself as a chart juggernaut outside of Genesis. It was hard not to assume this would only be a one-off vanity project. Instead, Mike + the Mechanics surprised the pop and rock worlds “with the somber stir of Silent Running, the album’s first release.” AMG The song reached #1 on the album rock chart and #6 on the Billboard Hot 100. The song also put Paul Carrack in the unique position of having provided lead vocals to successful songs for three different groups. Ace reached #3 with their 1974 song “How Long” and Squeeze had a new-wave classic with “Tempted” in 1981. He’d also reached the top 40 on his own with “I Need You” in 1982. “Carrack sounds just as sharp as he did with Ace or Squeeze throughout” AMG the album. Paul Young, the other lead singer for the Mechanics had previously charted in the UK with his band Sad Café, most notably the #3 hit “Every Day Hurts” in 1979. He was fairly unknown in the United States, however. None of that prevented Mike + the Mechanics from breaking the one-hit wonder curse with second single All I Need Is a Miracle. With “its Genesis-like tempo and polished chorus,” AMG the song bettered “Silent Running” on the pop charts, hitting #5 and gave Rutherford & Co. another top-10 hit on the album rock chart. Taken In, “a simple ballad that’s bettered by Paul Young’s genuine emotional charm,” AMG made the top 40 on the Billboard Hot 100 and was a top-10 adult contemporary hit. Par Avion wasn’t a single, but did get noticed because it was featured in the Miami Vice episode “Yankee Dollar.” WK A Call to Arms was an unfinished Genesis song. It emerged out of the sessions for the band’s self-titled 1983 album, but Rutherford’s bandmates didn’t like it. Rutherford got their permission to use it and developed it into a full song with help from Neil and B.A. Robertson. WK “The songwriting comes out on top before anything else.” AMG Rutherford presented demo tapes, sometimes with nothing more “than isolated riffs and fragments” WK to producer Christopher Neil who pinpointed which he considered worthy of more development. Rutherford then built them into “full-fledged songs.” WK His “guitar work isn’t overwhelming, both his six-string and bass guitar contributions complete a sound foundation for the vocals.” AMG “Rutherford’s overseeing of the entire project is apparent” AMG but it benefits from “all of its members exercising their expertise.” AMG In addition to the two accomplished vocalists, “the mood setting drum work of Peter Van Hooke and the keyboard fills from Adrian Lee play a large part in setting the album’s tone, and add some pop zest to the majority of the tracks.” AMG |
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First posted 1/17/2009; last updated 9/1/2021. |
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