MIKE + THE MECHANICS - Debut album (1985) review

    • Official Post

    Hi everybody


    We have added another review to our site, this time it's Mike + The Mechanic's debut album from 1985 - and we also open the discussion about that album.


    Read the review here:

    https://www.genesis-news.com/c…cs-album-review-s391.html


  • I can't say I agree totally with the review. For one thing, "Par Avion" is actually one of my favorite songs on the album. I agree that the other Kirby track, "You Are The One," isn't anything special, but my main problem with it is one shared by "All I Need Is A Miracle": an underwritten chorus that just repeats a couple of lines and doesn't go anywhere.


    My favorite song on the album is "Hanging By A Thread," although I find the beginning confusing rhythmically, and also would have liked for the chorus to be repeated one more time at the end.


    BTW, "A Call To Arms" is actually sung by both Carrack and Young, with Stashuck providing the female-sounding vocal part that's somewhere between backing and lead.


    This is one of those albums that originally didn't grab me enough for me to keep it, but which I later returned to. When I listen to it in the car, I have the song order changed to a custom one that I prefer over the actual order.

    • Official Post

    I agree probably more with your opinion compared to that of our reviewer. Having said that, I always find it interesting to have different views on the music.

  • I am not a fan of Par Avion either, but for some reason I like You Are The One.


    It's a great debut album. Some tracks don't stand the test of time (All I Need Is A Miracle), others are classics (Hanging by a thread, Call to arms, Taken in).

  • I am not a fan of Par Avion either, but for some reason I like You Are The One.


    It's a great debut album. Some tracks don't stand the test of time (All I Need Is A Miracle), others are classics (Hanging by a thread, Call to arms, Taken in).

    Why do you think All I Need Is A Miracle doesn't stand the test of time? It is still my favourite Mechanics song.

  • There is an extended mix of Taken In on YouTube which runs 7 minutes and sounds official rather than a fan edit or whatever. Does anyone know where it’s from? I can’t find details of a release.

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    There is an extended mix of Taken In on YouTube which runs 7 minutes and sounds official rather than a fan edit or whatever. Does anyone know where it’s from? I can’t find details of a release.

    The original uploader commented 11 years ago "I'm not sure where this mix came from, actually! I received it in a bundle with several other Mike & the Mechanics rarities as digital files." By a first listen, I couldn't recognize other elements in this extended "edit" than in the regular album version. So it well could be, that this is a fan made "edit". But I'm not sure. There are no Mechanics (promo) releases featuring this version.

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  • You may well be right actually listening to it again. It’s very well done but it could be fan created. There is a pretty good 10 minute version of Silent Running on YouTube as well which is well done but almost certainly a fan creation

  • I'm a huge fan of the first Mechanics album. You Are The One might be the one weak track if I'm being overly critical but I appreciate the sheer variety of songs/arrangements/singers on the album. The contrasts between the rockers and the ballads make it an easy album to listen to.