• Kip Winger - ThisConversationSeemsLikeADream

  
  

  Tracks:
  
  Kiss Of Life
  Monster
  Endless Circles
  Angel Of The Underground
  Steam
  I'll Be Down
  Naked Son
  Daniel
  How Far Will We Go
  Don't Let Go
  Here
  
  Total Playing Time: 53:02 m:s
  
  Producer: Kip Winger
  Label: Domo Records Inc
  Year: 1996

  When I started this review the first thing I did was to dig out my two old Winger CDs - In The Heart Of The Young and Pull. ITHOTY has its moments, but doesn't come across as anything other than standard commercial rock. Pull, on the other hand, is a bit of a classic in my book. In the scribbled notes for this review I actually started writing about Pull instead of getting on with the job in hand.

  I'm sure that you've read other reviews of this album and noted that reaction has been mixed. For those of you expecting Pull Part II, you're going to be largely disappointed. Winger had their fair share of critics and the words 'just another hair band' were never far from quite a few lips. I'm not one of them. I was actually a bit pissed at them for calling it a day, because I'd just started to get interested in them as a result of Pull. They were one of the first casualties of Grunge.

  While Kip hasn't entirely turned his back on his previous work, this album sees him branching out into what's best described as sophisticated intelligent adult rock. It's territory occupied by the likes of Sting and Peter Gabriel. I've visions of the people reading this throwing their hands up in horror and passing onto the next review. Does this album hold any interest for Melodic Rock fans who may regard Sting, Peter Gabriel and co as snooze time?

  Kiss Of Life starts things off and you could be fooled into thinking that this album follows on from where Pull left off. Monster gradually changes the scene with Pull style choruses, but features some ambient funk style verses.

  Endless Circles brings the listener fully into the arena of the 'sophisticated intelligent rock' I mentioned earlier. This wouldn't be out of place on a Sting album. Angel Of The Underground is Roxy Music meets U2 with chunks of David Bowie thrown in for good measure. By this time you'll probably of had enough of all this new sound and Steam brings you back to familiar ground.

  I'll Be Down has Peter Gabriel as the obvious reference point. Naked Son is an acoustic guitar ballad that eventually works itself up to rock out in Pull fashion. The acoustic based mid-tempo Daniel follows this.

  The final 3 songs are all ballads - How Far Do We Go, the Pink Floyd influenced Don't Let Go and Here. I defy anyone to remain awake through these three.

  The album can be divided up into 3 categories:

1.  
   1.  

      2. The Pull follow-ups: my favourite songs and IMHO the album highlights.
      4. The Modern Rock songs: the 'sophisticated intelligent rock' that I was talking about. I don't normally listen to this type of stuff, but they're well executed examples of this genre.
      6. The Closing Ballads: ZZZZZZZzzzzzzzzzz.....

I like to think that I'm open minded about the type of music I listen to and am willing to accept music that doesn't fit within the confines of Melodic Rock/AOR. So I was hoping that I would be able to appreciate what this album has to offer. I don't have any objections to the variations in style. It's the lame ballads that I have a problem with. The whole album is spoilt by the running order. I'm always fast asleep by the end. Playing this whilst driving could be positively dangerous. Most of the album rates about a 7 or 8, but overall it doesn't rate more than a 6.

Rating: 6

Mood Swings - Nigel Wilson - All Rights Reserved