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10cc - 10 Out Of 10 CD (album) cover

10 OUT OF 10

10cc

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ZowieZiggy
PROG REVIEWER
3 stars At this time of their career, 10CC won't produce any sublime albums nor songs. But this album is definitely better than "Look Hear". That's obvious.

The duet Stewart - Gouldman reviving forces and writing catchy and pleasant songs again. Needless to say that the same great vocal harmonies are present on this album. Each song holds them. Their reagge-ish style being also present (but this is the case since "Bloody Tourists"). "Overdraft In Overdrive" is here to sustain this fact.

The beatles-esque sound could not be forgotten of course. The best one in this genre is probably "Don't Turn Me Away". No wonder that McCartney asked Stewart to collaborate on some of his works. "Memories" is another one of these. Some reggae flavour can also be noticed during the last minute. A bit strange a combination though.But the band remains on the good track with "Notell Hotel". A truly "10CC" song.

The duo is even writing a great satiric song. Same sort of five minutes "rock opera" like in the good old days. A vitriolic critic of this type of social class. Mixing some French words (always classy) in this serious attack : "Les nouveaux riches, when they très fatigué they fly, off to the sunshine, they set jet away, they don't get a kick, they don't get a buzz man, they talk in circles, they not for us".

I would just say that this does not only apply to "les nouveaux riches". The whole bunch of jet-setters are described in here.

It is amazing how these two guys managed to pursue with their so typical song writing (don't forget that these two wrote "I'm Not In Love"). This album has of course NOTHING to do with prog. Related or not. No wonder that this album (or this band in general) did get so little reviews on a prog site to which they don't belong. But I like them an awful lot.

"Ten Out Of Ten" is a good pop album with great vocal arrangements and powerful melodies. That's what you'll get. Just name it! : "Action Man In Motown Suit" another good pop / melodic song. "Listen With Your Eyes" : just another jewel of a melody (OK, on the mellow side). And the closing "Survivor" is only just behind.

Don't expect anything else than a good pop album.. You won't get it. The band is just" producing another good album. Remember, this was released in 1981.

This is of course not worth "Ten Out Of Ten" but still three stars is my rating.

Report this review (#154726)
Posted Saturday, December 8, 2007 | Review Permalink
Evolver
SPECIAL COLLABORATOR
Crossover & JR/F/Canterbury Teams
3 stars This album is a step up from the dismal "Look Hear?". Eric Stewart and Graham Gouldman have dumped their entire band, and have brought in only Andrew Gold on keyboard, percussion and some backing vocals. And the album is somewhat of a success.

The 10CC sound is back to a point. The guitar and keyboard sounds are very familiar, although I do get somewhat bored with the reliance on reggae rhythms (something they have used as a crutch since their success with the song Dreadlock Holiday).

Lyrically, the album is better than the previous one, as well. There are puns ("I got a message from my broker. he said he broker than me"), self depreciating humor ("I started with nothing, and worked my way down"), and even a steamy vignette (No tell Motel).

This album is by no means up to par with the records they made before the band split, but it shows that Stewart and Gouldman still had some life left.

Report this review (#919831)
Posted Tuesday, February 26, 2013 | Review Permalink
3 stars What happened 1981, thirty-four years ago, you may question. Then I'll tell you: that what the year of the release of 10cc's eighth studio album "Ten out of 10". It had passed one year since their last effort "Look hear" from 1980 and on this occasion the line up of the band was Graham Gouldman, Eric Stewart, Rick Fenn, Vic Emerson(mainly keyboard) and Paul Burgess. They had help from the guest musicians Andrew Gold, Keith Bessey, Simon Phillips, Lenni Crookes and Marc Jordan. Their last album was quite pleasant but did not stand out. Here comes my review of Ten out of 10:

On the cover we see Graham and Eric standing at the edge of a house high over the city. One of them seems scared, the other calm. The light and the colours are quite new and sophisticated. In many ways the music of 10cc 1981 was quite similar to that of the year before. There seems to always be quality and a piece of intentions to write smart music in the world of 10cc. Just as on "Look Hear" this record is decent to listen to and you can enjoy it again and again. But where the really interesting and outstanding songs were none existing 1980 I found some gems 1981. Even if I could recommend you to hear the whole album three songs are better than the others. We have "Les Nouveaux Riches"(8/10) which is quite long. The song has a French title, an idea that was successfull 1975 and it is this album's most intriguing and fine song. It is well performed and has a smart arrangement, the vocals are excellent too. "Don't ask" which starts the album is a sweet track as well(8/10) and "Notell Hotel" is a song that I like because it has intentions(7/10).

There and there over the whole album I also found pieces I really liked, fine guitar solos, vocal harmonies and lyrics. Often the songs are performed in a poetic way that is very appealing. The saxophone solo on "Don't turn me away" should be mentioned as well as the last song, a sugary piece of the eighties: "Survivor". So "Ten out of 10" has improved a bit since the last album but still it isn't what it had been. The songs are nice but not very interesting over all.

I give it three stars! Best tracks: Les nouveaux riches, Don't ask, Notell hotel

Report this review (#1398052)
Posted Monday, April 13, 2015 | Review Permalink

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