Robert Palmer is, sorry was, a very interesting guy. Over the years he enjoyed considerable success in the pop territory, while his albums often contained some surprisingly hard rocking tracks. And that while maintaining the image of the 100% gentleman. Often surrounded by gorgeous women in his video´s…
To choose one album out of his discography is always open for dispute. I choose Heavy Nova because it holds some of his best tracks that also prove my point. Album opener Simply Irresistible being a great example: a damn catchy chorus, an infectious groove and all accompanied by heavy guitars and a blistering solo. Next track More Than Ever is again groovy with a lot of keyboards and effects. And again heavy guitar riffing without it sounding like a hard rock track.
Change His Ways has a totally different sound. Suddenly we are in the jungle of South Afrika listening to some local bar crooner. But what tongue in cheek lyric! The jodeling really gives you a new perspective of the man´s talent ;-). Then we are off to a country bar somewhere in America, were we witness some Disturbing Behavior.
This constant switching of styles is common for Palmer. You get soul, funk, rock, pop, crooner, country, african and so on. And he gets away with it because he is so good at it. Prime example being album highlight She Makes My Day. A stunning song that deserves to be a top ten track in any Top 1000 competition if you ask me. Just listen to the bass lines here. And again a lyric that gets ya. Let alone the chorus that will make you hum it for days in a row without you getting tired of it.
I dare you to listen to this and not be impressed! He is severely missed….
