FALLING UP

After the release of the lightweight but acceptable "That's what you get babe", Kevin Ayers release a couple of frankly poor albums during the mid 1980's. By 1988 however, he was starting to find his muse again, helped in no small part by Ollie Halsall who co-wrote about half of the tracks here (his writing credits use his real name Peter). Sadly, Halsall would pass away a few years later, shortly before the release of Ayers' next album.

This is not by any means a return to Ayers' prog years, those days have by now been placed firmly in the past, but there is a sense throughout the album that he has at least found inspiration from somewhere.

On the opening "Saturday Night (In Deya)", he does a passable impersonation of a happy Leonard Cohen, complete with female backing chorus. "Flying start" is something of a rarity, in that it is not an Ayers composition. The song was written by Mike Oldfield, and appeared on his album "Islands", also being released as a single. Ayers provided vocals for the track, and as a result, includes it unaltered on this album.

Skipping over the prosaic "The best we have", we come to "Another rolling stone", surely Ayers finest performance in many a year. The song is a reflective soft ballad, but Ayers passionate and intimate performance brings the song to life. The track boasts some beautifully sympathetic piano, and a fine lead guitar break.

"Do you believe in love" sees Kevin moving into soft funk with a suitably trivial lyric, while "That's what we did" offers a return to the whimsical, lyrically at least. "Night fighters" is a repetitive piece of pop rock with repeating distorted vocals, and as such probably the worst of the bunch here. The album closes with "Am I Really Marcel", a song which was released as a single in Ayers native Spain. The most notable thing about this relaxed, bluesy number is the guitar playing of Ollie Halsall.

Overall, not one of Ayers best albums by any means, but roughly on a par with "That's what you get babe". Given the dip Ayers suffered in the intervening period, there is at least hope here for the future.