MICK JONES : MICK JONES

  1. Just Wanna Hold
  2. Save Me Tonight
  3. That's The Way My Love Is
  4. The Wrong Side Of The Law
  5. Wheels Turnin'
  6. Everything That Comes Around
  7. You Are My Friend
  8. Danielle
  9. Write Tonight
  10. Johnny (Part 1)

Label : Atlantic

Release Date : 1989

Length : 42:14

Review (AllMusic) : Mick Jones 1989 self-titled solo album is a carefully hand-crafted collection of upbeat pop rock songs and relaxing adult contemporary music, a radical departure from his more formulized work with Lou Graham and their harder edged rock band, Foreigner. The music on this solo album is very well-written and features tight musicianship, solid vocals and catchy lyrics. The opening track, Just Wanna Hold provides a strong beginning to the album. Reportedly the song charted at #16 on Billboards Top 100 and was co-written by Mott the Hoople guitarist Ian Hunter and Mick Jagger under the pen-name M. Phillips. The song features additional vocals and piano by Billy Joel. Just Wanna Hold flows nicely into Save Me Tonight is an upbeat pop tune with a strong melody. Save Me Tonight like the rest of the disc, is exclusively written by Mick with a little help from Joe Brooks on this track as well song #6 & 8. That’s the Way My Love seems crafted for adult contemporary radio or would fit nicely in the background at a relaxing over-40 dinner party – a beautiful tune featuring Carly Simon on background vocals. The Wrong Side of the Law has a haunting beginning and develops into an upbeat rock song featuring excellent melodic guitar solos by Hugh McCracken & Mick himself as well as powerful vocals – crank the stereo! Wheels Turning is a true rocker that will blow the bass on your speaker – it kicks so get up and dance! The albums 6th track, Everything That Comes Around, is a Foreigner-like power ballad reminiscent of their mega-hit I Want to Know What Love Is – a beautiful ballad to listen to with your better-half over a glass of wine – The latter song blends nicely into You Are My Best Friend, another slow starting power ballad with a terrific guitar riff, great guitar solos, powerful vocals & a strong finish. Danielle is a terrific power-pop song with nice harmony vocals for the chorus & a great song to play as a slow song at the end of good evening of fun over a glass of port. Write Tonight starts with a strong bass line, beautiful harmony vocals again featuring Carly Simon, terrific saxophone by Lenny Pickettt & horns plus a beat that begs you to get up and dance again. Johnny, the last song, is a short little melodic ditty lasting a whopping 1:43 – Too bad it this relaxed song was not a little longer – the beer must have been cold in the fridge so they cut the song short lol. Overall, a great disc that should be listened to regularly – If you love pop-rock and like the band Foreigner, this will be an instant hit on the first listen! And it gets even better on the second and third time around.

Review (Wikipedia) : Mick Jones is Foreigner guitarist Mick Jones' self-titled debut/studio album, released in 1989 and his only solo release as of 2023. Released on Atlantic Records, this album included Billy Joel and Carly Simon as guest singers. Joel sang with Jones on the song "Just Wanna Hold" and Simon sang with Jones on the songs "That's the Way My Love Is" and "Write Tonight". It is widely believed that the co-composer "M. Phillips" on the track "Just Wanna Hold" is a pseudonym of Mick Jagger.