JOE EGAN : OUT OF NOWHERE

1. Back on the Road
2. Ask for No Favours
3. Natural High
4. Why Let It Bother You
5. The Last Farewell
6. Freeze
7. Pride
8. No Time for Sorrow
9. leaving it all behind
10. out of nowhere

Label : Ariola

Release Year : 1979

Length : 39:43

Review (Bad Cat Records) : Produced by David Courtney (best known for his work with Leo Sayer), 1979's "Out of Nowhere" was worth the wait. The result was a record that's overflowing with charm. I'll readily admit it took awhile for me to recognize the set's charms, but once I did, they hit me like a ton of bricks. That said, a word of warning - this isn't in-your-face rock. In fact, it makes much of the Stealers Wheel catalog look like heavy metal. Propelled by Egan's dry voice (which I've always thought was one of Stealers Wheel's strengths), exemplified by material like 'Back On the Road', 'Ask No Favours' and 'Pride' (with a killer dobro solo) the collection showcased a low-keyed charm that blended Egan's reflective lyrics, pop sensibilities, and some of the year's prettiest melodies. Occasionally almost pastoral, it made for a great record to sit back and relax with ('No Time for Sorrow' was a country-flavored song I actually liked). Ironically the atypical rockers 'Why Let It Bother You' and 'Leaving It All Behind' (which may have been a swipe at ex-partner Rafferty), were also the best songs on the album.