Search - 10cc :: Look Hear

The sum is less than the parts 2 1/2 stars

Wayne Klein | My Little Blue Window, USA | 03/29/2008

(3 out of 5 stars)

"This is one 10cc album that I waited to buy on CD for a very long time. It was never a favorite of mine and while it has a handful of good songs, the production and performances always sounded a bit uninspired compared to the other post-split 10cc albums (for those unaware original members Lol Creme and Kevin Godley left the band establishing their own recording career with Eric Stewart and Graham Gouldman remaining and retaining the 10cc moniker). "Look Hear?" is less consistent than "Bloody Tourists" and lacks the hook filled songwriting that made the best Stewart/Gouldman collaborations on that album so memorable.



This features the original album plus two bonus tracks the single edit of of "One Two Five" and its b-side "Only Child". Ironically, "Only Child" has more energy than most of the material on the album lacking only a solid chorus and development to have made it a contender for the final album. For me the album really only picks up during the last couple of tracks "Strange Lover" and "L.A. Inflatable" and "Dressed to Kill". "Lovers Anonymous" sounds like an outtake from "Bloody Tourists" and would have fit quite well on that album as well. It's a well written track that is a highlight of this set as well. I do find it curious that "One Two Five" was chosen as the single since it is the least likely single to my ears from the album.





Still, even a half hearted 10cc album is better than none at all.

Eric Stewart's in fine voice throughout and the playing by the six piece version of 10cc (Duncan MacKay, Rick Fenn, Paul Burgess and Stuart Tosh were added to the line up after the recording of "Deceptive Bends" and play on the Live album as well as "Bloody Tourists" and this one)is quite adept.



The remastering by Tim Turan sounds really good. The packaging for the album is extremely good although it lacks credits as to who plays on what (song credits are listed on the back on the bottom of the CD package).



The cover reflects the more popular U.S. one with the "Are You Normal?" on the back of the booklet and the picture on the sheep lounging in a chair on the beach on the cover. The notes are brief but do provide fans with an idea of the challenges the band faced recording this album (Eric Stewart was in a horrible car accident in 1979 and it took some time for him to recover. He ended up having to have another engineer work with him in the recording of the album because of this).



I'd recommend "Deceptive Bends" "Ten Out of 10", "Windows in the Jungle", "Bloody Tourists" and "Meanwhile" ahead of this album. It should be noted that while "Meanwhile" isn't a "reunion" album, it does feature original members Lol Creme on backing vocals on a number of tracks, Kevin Godley on a few and a stunning lead vocal by Kevin on one track "The Stars Didn't Show" written about the passing of Roy Orbison. It has also been remastered and re-released with the main drawback being a lack of credits for which musicians played on which tracks.



Is it worth it for 10cc fans? Absolutely but this isn't the place to start listening to this terrific 70's band.



Recommended Listening: (currently in print) The Original Soundtrack, Sheet Music, How Dare You!, Deceptive Bends, Mirror Mirror, Bloody Tourists

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