Word of Mouth by Mike & The Mechanics (CD, Mar-1991, Atlantic USA)

After two solid albums, 1985's eponymous Mike + The Mechanics, and 1988's follow-up The Living Years, 1991 saw the band return to release Word Of Mouth, an album of ten tracks that seem to follow a similar formula, but with less success this time around. The opening track, 'Get Up', is bouncy and energetic, and the title track is a compelling number that may have been well done in live performance. There are some nice ballads, like 'A Time And A Place' and 'The Way You Look At Me', but it seems that the rest of the album carries on with less zeal, and remains forgettable. Performance-wise, vocalists Paul Carrack and Paul Young sing well, but without the conviction or credibility they achieved on the previous two albums.

Without the hits like 'Silent Running' and 'The Living Years' to boost sales, it's a shame that this album didn't get the same attention. But this album is a step down from their earlier glory, and it seems to be a filler during one of mainman Mike Rutherford's hiatuses from Genesis.