ENGLAND DAN & JOHN FORD COLEY
DR. HECKLE & MR. JIVE''
1979
40:19
1 Hollywood Heckle And Jive 04:03
2 What Can I Do With This Broken Heart 03:10
3 Another Golden Oldie Night For Wendy 03:38
4 Broken Hearted Me 03:51
5 Children Of The Half Light 03:41
6 Rolling Fever 03:23
7 Love Is The Answer 04:40
8 Only A Matter Of Time 03:13
9 Caught Up In The Middle 04:07
10 Running After You 03:05
11 What's Forever For 03:23
Michael Boddicker/Synthesizer
Kelly Bulkin/Vocals
Leslie Bulkin/Vocals
Joey Carbone/Piano, Piano (Electric)
John Ford Coley/Guitar, Guitar (Acoustic), Keyboards, Organ, Piano, Vocals
Wilton Felder/Bass
Dan Ferguson/Guitar, Guitar (Acoustic)
Steve Foreman/Percussion
Steve Forman/Percussion
Steve Gibson/Guitar, Mandolin
Jim Gilstrap/Vocals
Dan Gorman/Drums
Ed Greene/Drums
Ralph Humphrey/Drums
Shane Keister/Fender Rhodes, Harpsichord, Keyboards, Piano, Piano (Electric)
Bubba Keith/Harmonica
John Leland/Bass
Steve Lukather/Arranger, Guitar, Guitar (Electric)
Gary Mallaber/Drums
Dee Murray/Bass
Gene Page/Arranger, String Arrangements
Bill Payne/Synthesizer
Greg Phillinganes/Piano
Jeff Porcaro/Drums
Steve Porcaro/Synthesizer
Lee Ritenour/Guitar
Dan Seals/Guitar, Guitar (12 String Acoustic), Guitar (Acoustic), Vocals
Leland Sklar/Bass
Ovid Stevens/Guitar, Guitar (Electric)
Gary Torps/Guitar
Michael Vernacchio/Keyboards, Synthesizer
Wa Wa Watson/Guitar
Wah-Wah Watson/Guitar
Ernie Watts/Sax (Baritone), Sax (Soprano), Sax (Tenor), Saxophone
Bergen White/String Arrangements
Jai Winding/Clavinet, Piano
Richie Zito/Guitar, Guitar (Electric)
REVIEW
by Joe Viglione
REVIEW+TRACK LISTING
The sincerity of their days on A&M Records has turned to total formula by the time Dr. Heckyl & Mr. Jive came around -- and Robert Louis Stevenson expert, author Ray McNally, makes it clear in his book on Mr. Hyde that the true pronunciation is Dr. Jeekill (as in, "I Kill and Hide"). It is quite a paradox that this justified attack on the Hollywood system uses the mispronunciation of this famous title which Hollywood forced upon the world. Were these singers that clever to have slipped this in as a sly parody? Probably not -- because the sentiment in the poem here is right on, but the execution of the title track, is as musically contrived as it sounds. This album shows the worst, and the best, of this productive duo. "Running After You" falls into the former category, but their hit rendition of the Todd Rundgren tune "Love Is the Answer" is up there with "I'd Really Love to See You Tonight" as among their very best work. Their finding this little gem on Utopia's 1977 release Oops! Wrong Planet is commendable. In the same vein as "Love Is the Answer," "What's Forever For" is also extraordinary, featuring excellent vocal work, skilled musicianship, and top notch production by former bassist for this duo Kyle Lehning. He leaves the bass chores to Elton John's sideman Dee Murray along with Leland Sklar, John Leland, and Wilton Felder. Murray's sole contribution is on "Caught Up in the Middle," which sounds like England Dan and John Ford Coley fronting Toto, which is not a bad thing. Steve Porcaro is on synth, Steve Lukather on electric lead guitar, and Richie Zito on electric guitar. Although two songs of heartbreak are included: "What Can I Do With This Broken Heart" and a version of what became a monster hit for Anne Murray this same year, 1979, "Broken Hearted Me." These two songs identify the problem with this album -- John Coley's piano and touching vocal in "Only a Matter of Time" have the passion that is missing in "Broken Hearted Me" and "What Can I Do With This Broken Heart." Some of the tracks have that extra something on this album, and some don't have much of anything. The solution can be found in their final hit, "Love Is the Answer," a departure from the Parker McGee formula this act became so accustomed to. Had they dipped into the songbook of Utopia co-hort Moogy Klingman and his partner, Buzzy Linhart, they would have found lots of great hit material to followup "Love Is the Answer" with. "Children of the Half-Light" is the best example of the dilemma; the song can't decide if it is in their old format, or if it wants to follow Toto and Rundgren into progressive pop. All things being equal, they should've taken the plunge. Still, this album has some great moments, despite its inconsistency.
DR. HECKLE & MR. JIVE''
1979
40:19
1 Hollywood Heckle And Jive 04:03
2 What Can I Do With This Broken Heart 03:10
3 Another Golden Oldie Night For Wendy 03:38
4 Broken Hearted Me 03:51
5 Children Of The Half Light 03:41
6 Rolling Fever 03:23
7 Love Is The Answer 04:40
8 Only A Matter Of Time 03:13
9 Caught Up In The Middle 04:07
10 Running After You 03:05
11 What's Forever For 03:23
Michael Boddicker/Synthesizer
Kelly Bulkin/Vocals
Leslie Bulkin/Vocals
Joey Carbone/Piano, Piano (Electric)
John Ford Coley/Guitar, Guitar (Acoustic), Keyboards, Organ, Piano, Vocals
Wilton Felder/Bass
Dan Ferguson/Guitar, Guitar (Acoustic)
Steve Foreman/Percussion
Steve Forman/Percussion
Steve Gibson/Guitar, Mandolin
Jim Gilstrap/Vocals
Dan Gorman/Drums
Ed Greene/Drums
Ralph Humphrey/Drums
Shane Keister/Fender Rhodes, Harpsichord, Keyboards, Piano, Piano (Electric)
Bubba Keith/Harmonica
John Leland/Bass
Steve Lukather/Arranger, Guitar, Guitar (Electric)
Gary Mallaber/Drums
Dee Murray/Bass
Gene Page/Arranger, String Arrangements
Bill Payne/Synthesizer
Greg Phillinganes/Piano
Jeff Porcaro/Drums
Steve Porcaro/Synthesizer
Lee Ritenour/Guitar
Dan Seals/Guitar, Guitar (12 String Acoustic), Guitar (Acoustic), Vocals
Leland Sklar/Bass
Ovid Stevens/Guitar, Guitar (Electric)
Gary Torps/Guitar
Michael Vernacchio/Keyboards, Synthesizer
Wa Wa Watson/Guitar
Wah-Wah Watson/Guitar
Ernie Watts/Sax (Baritone), Sax (Soprano), Sax (Tenor), Saxophone
Bergen White/String Arrangements
Jai Winding/Clavinet, Piano
Richie Zito/Guitar, Guitar (Electric)
REVIEW
by Joe Viglione
REVIEW+TRACK LISTING
The sincerity of their days on A&M Records has turned to total formula by the time Dr. Heckyl & Mr. Jive came around -- and Robert Louis Stevenson expert, author Ray McNally, makes it clear in his book on Mr. Hyde that the true pronunciation is Dr. Jeekill (as in, "I Kill and Hide"). It is quite a paradox that this justified attack on the Hollywood system uses the mispronunciation of this famous title which Hollywood forced upon the world. Were these singers that clever to have slipped this in as a sly parody? Probably not -- because the sentiment in the poem here is right on, but the execution of the title track, is as musically contrived as it sounds. This album shows the worst, and the best, of this productive duo. "Running After You" falls into the former category, but their hit rendition of the Todd Rundgren tune "Love Is the Answer" is up there with "I'd Really Love to See You Tonight" as among their very best work. Their finding this little gem on Utopia's 1977 release Oops! Wrong Planet is commendable. In the same vein as "Love Is the Answer," "What's Forever For" is also extraordinary, featuring excellent vocal work, skilled musicianship, and top notch production by former bassist for this duo Kyle Lehning. He leaves the bass chores to Elton John's sideman Dee Murray along with Leland Sklar, John Leland, and Wilton Felder. Murray's sole contribution is on "Caught Up in the Middle," which sounds like England Dan and John Ford Coley fronting Toto, which is not a bad thing. Steve Porcaro is on synth, Steve Lukather on electric lead guitar, and Richie Zito on electric guitar. Although two songs of heartbreak are included: "What Can I Do With This Broken Heart" and a version of what became a monster hit for Anne Murray this same year, 1979, "Broken Hearted Me." These two songs identify the problem with this album -- John Coley's piano and touching vocal in "Only a Matter of Time" have the passion that is missing in "Broken Hearted Me" and "What Can I Do With This Broken Heart." Some of the tracks have that extra something on this album, and some don't have much of anything. The solution can be found in their final hit, "Love Is the Answer," a departure from the Parker McGee formula this act became so accustomed to. Had they dipped into the songbook of Utopia co-hort Moogy Klingman and his partner, Buzzy Linhart, they would have found lots of great hit material to followup "Love Is the Answer" with. "Children of the Half-Light" is the best example of the dilemma; the song can't decide if it is in their old format, or if it wants to follow Toto and Rundgren into progressive pop. All things being equal, they should've taken the plunge. Still, this album has some great moments, despite its inconsistency.
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