We all go to concerts and ignore the support band. I went to see Big Audio Dynamite at the Barrowlands, stood with my pint and recognised the man singing, Karl Wallinger from The Waterboys with his new band World Party. More importantly they could actually play and instead of disappearing to the bar I watched their set. This was a band to investigate.
He seemed comfortable in his position as the bandleader after being a sideman to Mike Scott and years later he wrote She’s The One which I hope made him millions when Robbie Williams took it to number one.
If you really want to understand Wallinger then I don’t think he ever bettered World Party’s second album.
Twelve tracks and not a duff one on it. Is It Too Late? opens the album with passionate vocals from Karl but Way Down Now takes us up a notch with a great guitar riff and piano. Next up is the single Put the Message In the Box and you will be listening to one of the catchiest choruses ever, even my twenty-two year old daughter did not turn it off in the car, that’s high praise and a miracle.
In the modern era people skip tracks, I would advise listening to this whole album, guitars are raw, songs are funky (I hate that word but it just suits, sorry) and Wallinger can sing.
Sinead O’Connor lends her stunning voice to the penultimate track Sweet Soul Dream and the album closes with the upbeat Thank You World.
He was no longer a sideman, enjoy the full experience.
9/10
GIVE IT A STREAM: Put the Message In The Box