By Henry Lipput
It's been said that Michael Wood, recording under the name Whoa Melodic, has an unnatural obsession with Paul McCartney. Who doesn't?
The Macca musical influences on Whoa Melodic's self-titled, debut album tend to be more like Wild Life's "Tomorrow" and Back To The Egg's "Winter Rose / Love Awake" than the huge hits "Uncle Albert / Admiral Halsey" and "Silly Love Songs." But what's wrong with that? I'd like to know.
There are also echoes of the sort of things McCartney's partner in rhyme, John Lennon, added to the mix such as the bridge in "We Can Work It Out" ("Life is very short…") and the line he added to "Getting Better" (Paul: "I've got to admit it's getting better / A little better all the time" and John: "It can't get no worse.") There are also musical elements from children of The Beatles like Squeeze.
The very melodic first song on Whoa Melodic (an anagram of Michael Wood, in case you were wondering) is "I Will Never Let You Down." Normally, a song like this would be about someone pledging their support to a partner or a close friend. But in this case it's what the singer hopes someone would say to him: "My friends, my mom and dad, my English teacher, my favorite band / When I was young / All that I needed was someone to say / 'I will never let you down.'"
"I Will Never Let You Down" is a swell tune with an upside-down way of looking at things as is "Hopeless And Lonely." The narrator on this song isn't hopeless and lonely but would have been had he not taken steps to change his life: "If I hadn't had the chance to meet you / If I hadn't had the chance to say, / 'What are you doing tomorrow?' / Where would I be today?" Organ and electric guitar are used as competing rhythm instruments throughout the song, and the chorus employs the bouncy piano vamp that McCartney used on songs like "Penny Lane."
The instrumental "Sprint Forward Fall Back" has aspects of "Junk," "Blackbird," and Magical Mystery Tour's "Flying." "To See You Again" sounds like a song Difford and Tilbrook didn't write for Argybargy. And the wonderful trio of ballads comprised of "Totally Mad," "The Night Comes," and "Waste Time" lead you by the hand musically to the last song on the album.
The closing track on Whoa Melodic is the absolutely gorgeous "Ring Your Friends" with its solo piano and warm, reassuring vocal letting you know it might be time to get back in touch with someone you don't talk to anymore: "If you know that it's been too long / If you feel you've got stuff to say / If you want to tell someone 'I miss you' / If you need to hear their voice again / Ring your friends."
Whoa Melodic is out now on Wiaiwya.
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