SHEET MUSIC

10CC is in good shape for this "Sheet Music". With such a great opener it could only be a good sign of what we are going to get here.

"Wall Street Shuffle" is an acid critic of the trading madness in the biggest financial place in the world. I quote : "You need a yen to make a mark, If you wanna make money, You need the luck to make a buck".

Their so funny and typical style are best heard in "The Worst Band In The World" and "Hotel". Parodic and again vitriolic lyrics against the "grandeur" of the US and the American way of life : "Let's buy a hotel, let's get a yacht. We'll get a golden island in the sun made of coconut. Let's buy an old car, we'll crash in a hut. We'll feed the food to the Ford, and we'll live off the coconut". All this sung on a gentle and childish melody.

And that's the paradox of this band. To be able to deliver complex and ferocious ideas while playing APPARENTLY simple and accessible music. But 10CC is also subtle and melodic ("Old Wild Men").

As far as vocal harmonies are concerned, I guess that only the Fab Four or Jeff Lynne have done better. Just listen to the incredible "Clockwork Creep". Irresistibly amazing. This album, even more than its predecessor, is a kaleidoscope of innovation, research in arrangements. But lots of attention is needed to capture all these. There are tons of them but it is very easy to miss them if you are not on a permanent alert to catch most of them (catching them all being virtually an impossible job).

Each piece (even short) is a mini-opera and clearly announces song like "One Night In Paris". Take "Silly Love" for example. How is it possible to have so many moods in less than four minutes ? A difficult trick. "Somewhere In Hollywood" starts with some notes reminding "The Long & Winding Road" from who you might know. And we'll be travelling in their crazy world agazin : pastiche, opera, enormous arrangements and superb melody. Seems so easy to write catchy songs while listening to 10CC.

This whole album is an enchantment. Even "Baron Samedi" which starts a bit weak, will vomit an incredible amount of different styles, rhythms and fury. Not great as such but so complex when patiently listened to. The first weak song is probably the short "The Sacro-Iliac".

The band continues their strong attacks again in "Oh Effendi" : "Look what I did for the pyramid, I put a pool in and made it pay. I built an elevator and a film theatre, and I shipped it to the USA. `Cos there's a real big demand, and its written in the palm of my hand. I'm gonna change the face of the desert. Im gonna sweep away the sand". Not really USA friendly.

The bonus tracks are not bad but they are weaker (which is most of the time the case) even if "Gismo My Way" is a pleasant and atmospheric instrumental.

This album is overflow with imagination, creativity and fantasy. Close to perfection. Four stars.