Reviews Of “Anyway The Wind Blows”
Bill Wyman’s Rhythm Kings
Mojo Magazine (November 1998): “Bass playing ex-Stone, alone with his pals. Far
from a retired rock millionaire’s
indulgence, this is high-precision, white-boy jazz-blues-pop superbly performed
by top Brit R&B; veterans.
Albert Lee does his jaw-slackening pickin’ thing, Clapton and Mick Taylor show
up, Georgie Fame and Gary Brooker
are on Hammond and piano respectively and there’s a creamy rhythm section negotiating
boogie, two-beat swing
and gumbo grooves with aplomb. Wyman’s ï70s solo albums always displayed a flair
for stylistic detail but his weak
singing virtually relegated them to vanity projects. Not so here; with Fame, Paul
Carrack and Beverley Skeete on
authentic vocal form, Wyman’s pastiche compositions comfortably hold their own
with standards like Gee Baby Ain’t
I Good To You. There’s still the odd dodgy “bow-legged woman” and “don’t like
the way you cook/don’t like the way
you look” hangover, but that’s Bill.” [Chris Ingham]
Q Magazine (December 1998): “Former Rolling Stone teams up with a stellar cast
of players. The second of a trilogy
involving a dream team of musicians of the calibre of Eric Clapton, Albert Lee
and Andy Fairweather Low. After last
year’s rootsier, R&B-oriented; predecessor, Struttin’ Our Stuff, this follow-up
consists of ï30s and ï40s blues/jazz
standards and Wyman’s pastiche originals. With no corners cut in production or
performance, delivery is immaculate,
although each song tends to stand alone, like a set-piece, rather than forming
a coherent whole. Overall, however,
there’s not a duff track on the album, with Georgie Fame’s smokily quizzical tones
on Walking One & Only and
Beverley Skeete’s sassy rendition of the toe-tapping When Hollywood Goes Black
& Tan standing out.” ****
