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Non-Prog CD Reviews

Paul Carrack Rain or Shine Review by Gary Hill Most people probably first heard of Paul Carrack when he was in Ace. I loved their hit “How Long?” In addition to that band, Carrack has sung with Mike and The Mechanics and more. He’s also got a solo career and this is his latest album. It’s really soulful disc. Carrack’s voice is the real selling point here. He’s a great singer and one who delivers a lot of emotion in his performances. This review is available in book format (hardcover and paperback) in Music Street Journal: 2014 Volume 4 at lulu.com/strangesound.

Track by Track Review

Stepping Stone This cut has a killer soulful groove built into it. It’s a great tune that serves as a great opener.

That's All That Matters to Me There is almost a Motown vibe to this great cut. It’s classic in tone and sound.

One in a Million Cut from much the same cloth as the first two songs, this is effective nonetheless. It’s just a really strong tune.

You Don't Know Me This has an even older sort of vibe to it. It seems to lean back to the crooner era.

(If Loving You Is Wrong) I Don't Want to Be Right I’ve probably heard a million versions of this song over the years. Okay, that’s an exaggeration, but still. This might be my favorite rendition. The musical arrangement is very much a classic soul one. The vocals convey so much emotion. This is just a real powerhouse tune.

Time Waits for No One There is definitely a real adult contemporary feeling to this thing. It’s a cool tune, but I think the strings are a bit over the top.

Hard Times (No One Knows Better Than I) This bluesy number is a very classy one that’s among my favorites here.

I'm Losing You This one is too much in that adult contemporary style. It doesn’t really work for me.

Life's Too Short Now, this is more like it. It’s soulful, rocking and just plain fun.

Come Rain or Shine The crooner era is on tap here. This has an awesome sound. It’s very vintage. The vocal performance is powerful and the whole thing just feels like a ballad out of the 30s or 40s.

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