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Kevin Godley Muscle Memory Review by Gary Hill Kevin Godley is best known for his tenure in the band 10cc. That band is probably best known for the hit song "I'm Not In Love," but that was just one side of the act. The band was quite experimental and art rock oriented. The same can be said for this album. It's unusual, varied and quite intriguing. It's also dark and topical, at least on a lot of the songs. This isn't the kind of thing that will appeal to everyone, but it has some real charm for those who like their music artistic and adventurous. This review is available in book (paperback and hardcover) form in Music Street Journal: 2020 Volume 6. More information and purchase links can be found at: garyhillauthor.com/Music-Street-Journal-2020.

Track by Track Review

Expecting a Message A cool electronic groove opens this piece. The track works out from there into the song proper. As it shifts outward after the first vocal section, it takes on almost a reggae vibe. This is catchy, classy and so artistic in nature. I love the driving texture at the core of it.

The Ghosts of the Living A mellower tune, there is a dreamy kind of texture to this classy piece.

Hit the Street A slow moving piece, this has a more organic vibe to it. The horn adds something special. There is an acoustic guitar at the core of the song.

The Bang Bang Theory A rhythmic element is the core musical concept here. Layers of vocals are placed over the top of that. The lyrics are topical and earn a parental advisory.

5 Minutes Alone I love the lush electronic element that brings this cut into being. It works to more of a strange, but cool art rock motif from there.

Cut to the Cat There is a bit of an edgy rocking element to this. It's dramatic and intriguing. The lyrics are topical. They also earn it a parental advisory.

One Day This comes in percussive, but turns lusher as it continues. I'm reminded of David Bowie to a large degree on this number.

All Bones are White Artsy and a bit trippy, this has a lot of percussive texture to it. The layers of vocals are trippy and dark. This has decidedly topical lyrics, too.

Periscope Take Godley's old band 10cc and merge it with David Bowie. You now have something very close to this classy cut. This has a dreamy, melodic vibe to it. It's arguably the most accessible number here.

Song of Hate This is a tune that really feels like 10cc to me. It has a bouncy and catchy kind of feeling to it. The lyrics are a stark contrast to that good-time feeling. They are dark and earn a parental advisory. It gets pretty driving before it's over.

Bulletholes in the Sky Piano and vocals bring this number into being. The arrangement gets more lush as the song moves forward and grows. While it intensifies, it remains largely unchanged in other ways.

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