Jerry Harrison was a member of Talking Heads
Jerry Harrison was so impressed with the performance of his backup band on his 1988 tour that he brought them back around to share billing on his third album, Walk on Water.
It's ironic, then, that none of his star players and partisans feature audibly on the recording. The soulful backing of vocalists Dollette McDonald and Nona Hendryx creep into the mix from time to time, as does Bernie Worrell's blistering keyboard work, but it's clear that Harrison has chosen Walk on Water, his first post-Talking Heads album, to be a stylistic departure from his earlier works. For one, the dense, syncopated textures from his previous albums have given way to a significantly more laid-back and monorhythmic feel.
No doubt Harrison felt a simpler, pop-oriented approach would seem less self-conscious than his tense, meticulous early material. Tension, however, has always been an important quality in Jerry Harrison's music. Without it, his songs suffer here, as listenable but vaguely unremarkable tunes. Harrison brings his political activism to the fore, too, most notably in 'I Cry for Iran' and 'Cowboy's Got to Go.'
Unfortunately, the lyrics come across heavy-handed and lack personality, hardly benefiting from the sparser production. It's only when Harrison truly lets his guard down that Walk on Water succeeds. A handful of surprisingly tender ballads manage to buoy the album up from mediocrity. 'If the Rains Return' is an affectionate ode to a lover with a lush tropical backdrop, while the exquisite lullaby 'Sleep Angel' seems to channel Chris Isaak with its silvery steel guitar and husky vocal delivery. (AMG)
...And one from a customer from Amazon
The only reason I went looking for this CD was for the song 'I Cry For Iran', and it took me awhile since I always thought it sounded like Dead Can Dance..well I found it as an import and bought it for a lot more than I wanted to pay but after I listened to it...Jerry Harrison was being cery creative in his off time from Talking Heads...I think he's just as mush as a music genius as David Byrne...Anyway I ended up liking the other stuff on the CD better than 'I Cry For Iran'...
'Sleep Angel' is definitely the best one on there, but listen to 'Cowboy's Got To Go': what a funny tune and 'Never Let It Slip' is a good one too...you might not like the whole CD like I do, but hey you can get it for a penny? Come on! By it
01 - Flying Under Radar
02 - Kick Start
03 - I Don't Mind
04 - Confess
05 - Sleep Angel
06 - I Cry For Iran
07 - Never Let It Slip
08 - Cowboy's Got To Go
09 - If The Rains Return
10 - Remain Calm
11 - Big Mouth
12 - Facing The Fire
13 - The Doctors Lie
Label: Sire
Released: 1990
Catalogue: 9 25943-2
Compression Level: 5
Covers Included (400dpi)
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