AS WELL as being one of the most emotive rhythm'n'blues vocalists the UK has ever produced, Steve Winwood is a veteran of three sterling British bands – The Spencer Davis Group, which first showcased the teenage Winwood's songwriting talents, Traffi
c and the short-lived supergroup Blind Faith.
For this, Winwood is held in deservedly high esteem. But his shiftless new album, Nine Lives, is devoid of the excitement and urgency of his best work and did not bode well for this rare Scottish appearance.
To begin with, The Arches was an ill-conceived choice of venue – there was certainly no justification for making this a standing gig rather than a quiet and comfy seated affair. But even an acoustically purer environment would not have rectified the torpor and indulgence which characterised this performance.
Winwood's voice has lost little of its longing tone, but it was poorly served by tedious arrangements that interpreted each number as a succession of navel-gazing solos. I could have grown a beard in the time it took to dispatch some tracks.
Saxophonist Paul Booth was the worst offender, given full rein to smother the set in anachronistic outbreaks of squawking, while Jose Neto's cod-calypso guitar breaks were at least deployed sparingly.
Winwood himself appeared unengaged throughout. Even his best-loved material suffered as a consequence – I'm A Man was rendered impotent, while Can't Find My Home was snoozy rather than yearning. The closing rendition of Gimme Some Lovin' at least had a kernel of spirit, though Winwood's trademark Hammond organ sounded harsh and tinny. A great disappointment from a once-vital musician.
The full article contains 274 words and appears in The Scotsman newspaper.
