Author: Peter Podbrežnik
Artist: Mike + The Mechanics
Label: BMG Rights Management
Release: 2017
Runtime: 50:42
Rating: 3/5
»Let Me Fly« is the eighth studio album from British pop-rock institution Mike + The Mechanics, one of those bands that, after their biggest successes in the eighties and the first half of the nineties, looked like they’d belong to the ‘good old days’ forever once the 21st century rolled around, especially after Paul Young’s death in 2000 and the (temporary) breakup between 2004 and 2009. Band boss and longtime Genesis bassist/guitarist Mike Rutherford, even though things were far from rosy, ‘pulled a rabbit out of the hat’ in 2009 and rebuilt the band with a completely new lineup, without either of the original singers, meaning without the late Young and the overbooked Paul Carrack.
»Let Me Fly« is the third studio album from the new Mike + The Mechanics, who, even though in this ‘changed climate’ they can’t expect anything like their former commercial success, stay true to their pop-rock/soft-rock heritage, partly thanks to the fact that both lead singers, Tim Howar and Andrew Roachford, have voices and vocal approaches quite similar to their famous predecessors. There’s nothing to fault on the album in terms of vocals, technique and production, or the quality of most of the arrangements, which is hardly surprising with such outstanding musicians and singers. Mike and his buddies gave it their all once again on that front.
The flip side is the far-from-thrilling songwriting inspiration, which is chronically in short supply this time around, since »Let Me Fly« is a rather cautious and predictable pop/soft-rock album, dominated mostly by syrupy love ballads, the most see-through of which is »High Life«, though you could count a few more. These send your blood saccharin level soaring in an instant, while there are very few tracks on it whose structure comes anywhere near the level of unforgettable hits like »Silent Running (On Dangerous Grounds)«, »All I Need Is a Miracle«, »Taken In«, »The Living Years« or »Word of Mouth«. Songs like the R&B-flavored ballad »Save the World« will warm the hearts of only a handful of longtime followers and probably won’t win over many new ones. Most of the material, apart from »The Best Is Yet to Come«, »Don’t Know What Came Over Me«, »I’ll Be There For You« and the excellent surprise called »The Letter«, which are among the few somewhat more inspired moments on this album, since they at least stir up a bit of memory of the glory days, is as alike as two peas in a pod, meaning it’s quickly forgettable except for the most fiery fans of easy-listening rock
»Let Me Fly« is an awfully predictable effort aimed squarely at the most devoted fans of Mike Rutherford and his The Mechanics, while even those who dig Mike’s pop-era adventures with Genesis will probably nod off from boredom pretty quickly while listening to it. For fans of classic Mike + The Mechanics, only three or four tracks on »Let Me Fly« can stand shoulder to shoulder with the evergreens from the eighties and the first half of the nineties, led by the previously mentioned pleasant surprise »The Letter«, which is of course still not enough to justify rushing out to buy this record. Even though »Let Me Fly« proves that their best creative days are long gone, Mike and his The Mechanics are still absolutely worth catching on a concert tour.
Lineup
Mike Rutherford – bass guitar, guitar and backing vocals
Tim Howar – vocals
Andrew Roachford – vocals and keyboards
Anthony Drennan – guitar, bass guitar
Luke Juby – keyboards, saxophone, bass guitar, backing vocals
Gary Wallis – drums
Production
Mike Rutherford, Harry Rutherford, Brian Rawling, Mark Taylor and Paul Meehan
Tracklist
1. Let Me Fly
2. Are You Ready
3. Wonder
4. The Best Is Yet to Come
5. Save the World
5. High Life
7. Don’t Know What Came Over Me
8. The Letter
9. Not Out of Love
10. Love Left Over
11. I’ll Be There For You
12. Save my Soul
