HEAVY WEATHER

Heavy Weather was the first Weather Report I ever heard and the impression was so devastating I didn't want to hear anything else from this band, I even stopped exploring fusion for about 20 years. If it wasn't for a couple of half decent bits, I'd give the album the lowest possible rating, that's how strongly I would advise against it.

Hot on the heels of Return To Forever's commercial success with Romantic Warrior, Weather Report tried a similar move towards a more polished and easy-listening type of thing, but they failed miserably. Where RTF kept the music complex and challenging, Weather Report chose to over-simplify and watered down their earlier intricate compositions to easy-listening melodies.

Except for Teen Town, Havona and to a certain extent also Birdland every track presents an assault on the ears and is certainly not worthy of the Weather Report tag. The worst examples of cheesiness are presented by tracks such as A Remark You Made and Harlequin. Syrupy pop-jazz, it makes me cringe, and almost long to hear something from Lady Gaga. Go figure.

One of the best selling jazz-rock albums of all times? Why am I not surprised.

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