Paul Carrack - Suburban Voodoo (1982)

Paul Carrack has made his solo career a side project popping up periodically with another excellent soul infused classic. "Suburban Voodoo" his second solo album remains one of his best. Consisting of originals written by Paul Carrack (or with his friend and mentor Nick Lowe), the album unlike most 80's albums transcends the "sound" of the time.

That's all to the good, though, since Carrack's supple voice is well-suited to Lowe's updated '60s rock & roll style. Carrack scored his first solo Top 40 hit with "I Need You," but that was one of the slighter tracks on an unusually tuneful album.

Among the highlights are "Out of Touch" written by Difford and Tilbrook of Squeeze and a song that Carrack sang on tour with the band but never got around to recording with them. Likewise "Lesson of Love" and the groove heavy "What A Way To Go" with it's rolling organ and tight arrangement sounds like something that Elvis Costello might have covered if he didn't already have enough originals for himself on "High InFidelity".

 

01.  "Lesson in Love"  (Paul Carrack, Gregg Hubbard, Robert Duncan Cameron Jr.)  - 2:59 

02.  "Always Better with You"  (Paul Carrack)  - 3:31 

03.  "I Need You"  (Martin Belmont, Paul Carrack, Nick Lowe)  - 2:48 

04.  "I'm in Love"  (Carlene Carter, Nick Lowe)  - 3:17 

05.  "Don't Give My Heart a Break"  (Paul Carrack, Carlene Carter, Nick Lowe)  - 3:21 

06.  "A Little Unkind"  (Paul Carrack)  - 3:03 

07.  "Out of Touch"  (Chris Difford)  - 3:07 

08.  "What a Way to Go"  (Martin Belmont, Paul Carrack, James Eller, Nick Lowe)  - 2:50 

09.  "So Right, So Wrong"  (Martin Belmont, Paul Carrack, Ceiling, James Eller, Nick Lowe)  - 3:30 

10.  "From Now On"  (Nick Lowe)  - 3:22 

11.  "Call Me Tonight"  (Paul Carrack)  - 3:04 

12.  "I Found Love"  (Neil Hubbard)  - 3:38 

Credits
Paul Carrack – Vocals, Organ, Piano
James Eller – Bass
Bobby Irwin – Drums, Backing Vocals
Martin Belmont – Guitar
Backing Vocals – Nick Lowe

Notes
Recorded at: Rockfield Studios.
Mixed at: Eel Pie
Genre: Pop, Blue-Eyed Soul
Length: 38:30
Producer: Nick Lowe
© 1982 Epic Records