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Arc Of A Diver
Steve Winwood
1980
Wikipedia
Reviews
Like a review? Give it a thumb up to help us display relevant reviews!Winwood going synth would have seemed very odd in 1980, but in league with his blue-eyed soul songwriting chops the whole package works very well.
I can go for this type of 80s cheese sometimes. I have no particular nostalgia for this album but I was familiar with the lead track. Some of the choices of synth tones are a bit cringey at times. Where I start to have a real problem is on "slowdown sundown" - it sort of breaks the sound he had going for this folksier/rootsier thing and it sounds really out of place. I like "Spanish Dancer" alright but it is mixed so weirdly with those hyper prominent synth notes that it's kinda off putting. "Night Train" probably works best for me overall? By the time it got to the last track I just wanted it to be over (and it's not a long album). I like some individual tracks by him but I can't hang with it for a whole album. 2.5 down to 2.
wow that opening synth riff is STRONG. Sets a rad 80's tone right away. Obvious he and Phil Collins worked together from that track alone, and the rest of the album only solidifies that bond. It is disappointing that it trails off into mediocrity at the end. Looking at the Side A and B divisions, I'd give side A a 5 for fun synthy pop, and side B a 2.5. The whole thing gets a 4 because of what it almost was, but I'm left feeling disappointed.
3 listens, got better with each one. All instruments played by Steve. Would have been really cool to hear in 1980. Its sonic texture is dated and closely linked with 80s new wave, but ahead of the curve and easy listening.
So 80s it hurts my teeth. Some great tunes on here. More impressive when you find out her played every instrument himself. A few songs last a little longer than they should, and we could've skipped "Dust" all together. Also, "Spanish Dancer" legitimately sounds like a song from the Spyro soundtrack. Favorite tracks: "When You See a Chance", "Spanish Dancer"
I can feel the blues influences, however it also differentiates itself. An inspiring person and an inspiring album
solo artist. great mix of vocals, synths, drums. Really like the songs While you see a chance, arc of a diver, spanish dancer. Created in the artist's home.
Тупа чил. В начале оттолкнуло архаичными синтами, но потом ухо попривыкло. Вступительная While You See A Chance как раз самой балдёжной предстала. Если вдуматься, то альбом состоит из достаточно примитивной и не особо оригинальной музыки своего времени. Но работает то складно. Тем боле этот звук 80-ых ныне развития особого не получил, так что спустя тридцарик лет кажется вполне интересным. Если в целом ценить эстетику. Я то в своё время Journey гонял, вот там схожая атмосфера. Ну и всё же фальшью не веет, звучит то искренне. В общем, Батя одобряэ.
Enjoyed this album more than expected. The first song has a unique start. Arc of a diver is a great song. All of the songs are better than they should be and the instrumentals pair well with winwoods singing style. 7.7/10
Good album. Impressive he played all the instruments on the album. I agree with the reviews not a 5. Its between 3.2 and 4.1.
Nothing else on the album nears the peak of "while you see a chance", but the album is largely enjoyable and though i'd skip second-hand woman if listening to it, and songs like night train find a great groove.
So many songs I liked in the 80's and I never actually learned the name of the person.
Solid album with a very unique rock sound incorporating lots of piano and synth. Massive respect to him for playing every part on the album.
Interesting opener - until the vocals kick in, it sounds like the opening credits for an Eighventies sports show. It's also worth noting that I have a bit of a bias towards Brummie musicians... So this is unlikely to be entirely objective! Arc of a Diver has some strong Steely Dan vibes - and that's a good thing. The rest of the album washed over me as I worked. I am surprised at how poppy this is, given that my perception of Steve Winwood was more of a blues/rock/prog artist. More shocking is that it is good (but not great) pop. I had always assumed that Higher Love and Valerie were exceptions in his career, but it turns out he is actually a very talented pop writer - somewhere between Phil Collins and Donald Fagen. A surprisingly good album!
Just great, soulful pop music, nicely done. "When You See a Chance" is the obvious classic track here, worth the price of admission just for this song. "Arc of a Diver" and "Slowdown Sundown" are lovely as well. Nothing on here I didn't like. "Second-Hand Woman" was probably the weakest song overall. Yes, the top-of-the-line-for-1980 synthesizers are admittedly a bit dated. But it's forgivable thanks in large measure to Steve Winwood himself. You can't shortcut his talent as a vocalist with a machine, that lovely soulful and timeless voice. Bonus star for the fact that Winwood plays all the instruments on this album, and adeptly so. Fave Songs: While You See a Chance, Arc of a Diver, Dust, Slowdown Sundown, Spanish Dancer
Unique sound, like someone was consciously trying to do an 80s sound after the 80s were over, sounds pretty influential considering when it was written.
jag tycker om den! men vet inte om jag gör det eftersom han låter som phil collins? oklart, det låter jag vara osagt. men det svänger katten.
I really like this album. Sounds like so many other influences, yet Steve Winwood is somehow so unique.
Soft rock really isn't my thing but this was much more enjoyable than I expected. Would definitely listen again, though I much prefer Winwood's earlier group work.
Spotify lists Steve Winwood as a 'slick upscale mainstay of adult pop' which makes me feel like a real square because my dad would definitely make fun of me for liking this album. This is 'normcore' in the sense that this album is so normal and palatable that you have to go out of your way to feel anything about it, but this album makes me feel like a mid 80s yuppie in the best sense.
Seems like slightly proggy late 70s pop. Bit of a Phil Collins vibe. Very inoffensive, but not too sickly sweet. Lots of talent, good songwriting and tasteful players. Also, 39min is the perfect runtime for an album I've never heard before. 4/5.
Album is cheesier than the Wisconsin State Fair. Decent though, first half is definitely better than the second.
Steve Winwood is obviously incredibly talented. Interesting that he did everything himself on this album - played everything and produced. I like most of the music here, but it doesn't really stand out as anything special on listening. 3 stars.
Sounds like a better version of Phil Collins who sucks butt. Album was interesting and it definitely had 'welcome to the 80's' vibe but without all the coke
This album has a nice, synthesizer-heavy sound to it with slight variations in style from song to song. Some sound more disco and others more psychadelic. Steve Winwood does a good job of keeping each track interesting. Overall a nice slice of the year 1980.
Really Phil Collins-y. Reeeeeally. At some point I even had to look Steve Winwood up, just to be sure they were two different people. And they are! I enjoyed it overall, but after a while I grew a bit tired of the same sound.
This dude was like what if I made Steely Dan but cornier. Wasn't a huge fan of this, which disappointed me because like Tom I was super geeked about that opening synth line. If I was pressed to describe this album in one word I think "Fine," would be most apt. Decent soft rock.
A really enjoyable listen. Could be accused of being cheesy, but I like the 80s TV theme vibe.
This is a nice little listen! Nothing groundbreaking or subversive, just an enjoyable pop rock record kind of reminiscent of Genesis later into their career. Pretty good!
Genre felt a bit confusing. Two songs sounded very out of place. But those two were my disco favorites.
I don't think this dude knows what riding the night train means. Ok, I've heard of this guy, but this is the first time I've heard his stuff. It sounds a little corny, a little adult contemporary, but it makes for good background music or something to put in a movie. My favorite song is Spanish Dancer. It has a genesis vibe to it. They could open for genesis haha.
Voice sounds like a mix of Peter Gabriel and Phil Collins. Or maybe I'm just going insane? Pretty good album, kind of middle of the pack for me, but nothing i dislike about it
With this album, Winwood explores a more flowing and relaxed sound. That sound is still of course present in his other works and even his pop hits, but this is a more refined and smoother sound - full lean into it.
да норм дженерик восьмидесятнический роцк, на группу воскресенье порой похоже было. музло ок, просто совершенно не в настрой сейчас
I gave this album a listen and honestly it's not my thing. It's a nice album though, it's just not my thing.
Meh. Phil colins sounds, organs and synth stringy fluff. We get it, it's 1980 and the keyboard synthesizer has been invented. Maybe do something more interesting than standing around in a loose linen shirt in front of a fan rubbing your nipples and singing about romance.
Dos horazas de disco sinceramente Steve Winwood de qué vas. Second-Hand Woman está guapa. Night Train también. Las canciones son demasiado largas y se vuelven pesadas al rato.
it was good, I think I enjoyed it more when I learned Steve played all the instruments himself
One banger, otherwise kinda weird, started off really good but petered out into weird stuff
I really liked parts of it. Some of the synthesizer use definitely was ahead of its time and sounded almost contemporary. Unfortunately, with such heavy reliance on synthesizers to simulate brass and other instrumentation, the music sounds incredibly dated. The songwriting is of course great, but it's hard to be able to listen to this album without the synths getting in the way.
not really my taste, too dramatic and wimpy, smells like cheese and hairspray, yikes. Feels too much like I'm in a scenery where I'm a suburban housewife in the 80s, or like a white dude in gym clothes, lots of sweaty chest hair, idk.
very dated but sill enjoyable fav tracks: while you see a chance, arc of a diver, night train least fav tracks: second hand woman, slowdown sundown, nigh train 5.8/10
Ihan ok kuulosta menoa. Osittain kyllä meni ohi enkä jaksa enää toista kertaa kuunnella, muttei ainakaan paskaa ollut.
Bon disc per iniciar els 80. Pop sofisticat amb melodies elegants i tocs jazzy, allunyat del rock de Traffic de la década anterior. Un disc sorpresiu a la llista, que m'ha vingut de gust escoltar (començaments setembre '21) i no m'ha decebut el més mínim
Pretty cool that Winwood did everything on this album, but while it’s fun, I probably won’t revisit this album.
An interesting LP that sounds surprisingly modern at times - the opening track especially called to mind modern electronica artists like Porter Robinson with its structure and synth tones. Does meander from where its best in some more questionable tracks, but there’s enough here to warrant another listen.
Mysigt album! Låter extremt mycket som Phil Collins?? Både musikaliskt och som sångare. Tydligen skrev han allt själv, spelade allt själv, sjöng allt själv, och proddade allt själv. Imponerande!! Tyvärr tycker jag skivan tappar fart mot andra halvan, och soundet är lite för slickt för att jag ska bli intresserad på riktigt. Men första låten var kanon!! Går in i feelgoodlistan dirr
Låter som en lite R&B/soul/jazz version av moderna Genesislåtar? Definitivt ett bra album men vettefan om det är ett av 1001 album man bör höra innan man dör? Kan se mig själv återkomma hit. Skulle fan föredra om senare genesislåtar drog mer åt detta håll, håller jävla bra. Låter lite som Rod Stewart? Innehåller inga klassiker och verkar inte ha något historiskt värde i musikkanon. Bra låtar, kan inte säga så mycket mer?
This is the most generic 80s album I've ever heard. It's like they trained an AI to generate the most inoffensive, boring 80s synth music imaginable. It's the perfect 3/5. There is nothing wrong with this album, it's just nothing special.
Hey, late 70s/early 80s was my era, so I don't hate the 80s sound like so many of the reviewers here. Still, this probably doesn't quite manage a 3.5 for me, despite the comforting familiarity of While You See a Chance, Arc of a Diver and Night Train.
As other reviewers have commented, this is 80s AF. The synth is heavy. It's a decent album - not one that I'd turn to again, but definitely representative of its time, and very well produced.
Nice, not bad On the Peter Gabriel to Phil Collins vocal spectrum, his voice is dead center between the two. There's some very tasteful keyboard work here. But sometimes the keys made it sound like Mario Kart online lobby waiting music
So I have to slog through all these clunky keyboard tones without even a "VALERIIIIEEE - CALL MEEEE" as compensation? Fair play though, Winwood played every note on this album. Suits a certain mood, a fairly classy but anonymous collection overall. An absolute Rolls Royce of a voice.
Hey, it's this song! I didn't know this song was called this and was from this album. Kind of love the pitch bend keyboard buzz here. This isn't a grabber of an album for me except for a sort of nostalgic time capsule, which I do dig.
Love Steve Winwood with traffic. This album is ok. First song when you see a chance is popular.
Fun, but dated. Loved the organ opening, but wow the synth sound has not aged well. At least for this kind of music, I think I like it in other places.
Look I'm sure this guy is talented, I'm sure stuff like this was interesting in 1980. Honestly though, it's boring. It's boring and I want my time back.
80s cheese to the max. Soft-pop-rock. The only redeeming quality is it's hilarious since it's so straight. I'd love it in a cheesy 80s movie, but I'd never ever want to listen to it beyond that. I guess a time and a place. In some ways I can respect it for how uncompromising it is. This is one I turned on "Private Listening" on Spotify so it doesn't ruin my algorithm. I guess I have heard the track "Valerie" and "Higher Love" but those are on different albums.
this kinda sounds like some shit from a musical idk why this just gives me bad vibes, was okay ? 2.5
I didn't know much if anything about Steve Winwood and I decided to read about him before listening to the album. Kind of got my hopes up - child prodigy, playing in bands at 8, record deal at 14, played with Clapton, Hendrix, Muddy Waters, B.B. King... but all that lead up led to a big disappointment. The music is so soft rock, pale R&B, made for daytime radio. I kind of wanted to punch him during "Second-Hand Woman." His voice reminds me of - sorry for this Jon - Phil Collins, in a bad way. I did not like this album.
Ive never heard of this guy, i'm sure I've heard his songs somewhere before, but the album was pretty good. it started out lame, though "Second Hand Woman" was both dated AND jazzy smooth though. hands down my favorite track was "Slowdown Sundown"; did it need a synthy jazz keyboard solo? no, but i wouldn't kick it out of bed for eating crackers. "Spanish Dancer" was a great track, a close second for best track, but god damn the last tracks were WAY too long. I'm all for a cool, funky groove, but 8 minutes to basically loop the same thing is way too fucking much! though, to be fair, i give him points for playing literally every instrument on the album, no one except for Beck, or Dave Grohl does that! One final note, the cover album looks like a guy diving head-first into a pile of shit....which, could be how some viewed this album, ya never know.
Meh. In the mid-to-late eighties, I won a copy of this on cassette, as a door prize at a bar. I gave it to my mother.
Nothing stands out and its so short! Probably a three for being meh but gets a 2 because of the lack of songs
Very 80's and quite boring. Only interesting thing about this was the album art. Night Train had a bit of a groove going, but not sure if having to listen to all the tracks before it was worth it 🤷
It's not too bad but style too synthetic 80's for me. While the songs are not that bad, I really only enjoyed the first one.
Vielleicht fehlt die Poolbar und der Schirmchen-Cocktail. Richtig präsentiert an einem schönen Sommerabend würde ich bestimmt mehr Punkte vergeben.
He gets a full star for the album art. This album is generally groovy but also not that wowing for me. And he didn't blow me away with the implications behind Second-Hand Woman.
As a fan of the band Traffic this album had a lot of moments that reminded me of that music. But the overall “easy-listening” feel of it turn me off.
Really? To paraphrase an old joke, the worst thing about Traffic is Steve Winwood. Or maybe it's the best thing about Traffic. Either way, at least this isn't "Roll With It" I guess. All preconceived biases aside, not a bad listen at all. "While You See A Chance" is a great song. The rest of the album is fine. I guess it's fine to be on a list of 1,001 albums I need to expose to my ears before dying. Winwood played all of the instruments on the entire album, so there's that. Still, meh.
It’s fine, it’s nice, but it’s not my cup of tea. Nothing on the album particularly stood out to me and I have no intention of revisiting
Not my favorite Winwood, a little too much keytar for my taste. Still a couple of top notch tracks on there.
Steve Winwood wrote & produced this album almost entirely by himself - in fact, all of the instruments you hear were performed by him alone. This was his second album and a breakthrough album as well. Steve went with more of a rock vibe for this album and it paid off. The first track actually made it to #7 on the Billboard Hot 100! The music is groovy and easy to get lost in, because there are so many different sounds & lyrics.
sincere 80s musicianship that i am in no way interested in or the music is relevant to me
Poor man’s Phil Collins. Sounds like theme music to an 80s sitcom or Beverly Hills Cop or something.
Okay, first of all: what a cool cover! Damn, how I miss album art. I remember most of these songs from when they were popular in the 80s. They are harmless but don't do much for me. I can hear how talented Steve Winwood is, no doubt, but stylistically and aesthetically these songs are just not my thing.
Lata 80 atakuja kolejny raz, tym razem atak prosto z wysp od spiewaka, multiinstrumentalisty, teksciarza, calkowiscie mi nieznanej postaci swiata muzyki Steva Windoowda, arc of a diver to drugi album w jego dyskografii wydany w 1980, krotki acz ambitny material, bo jest to solowy solowy krazek, nie ma tutaj zadnego feautra, nawet w postaci inzyniera dzwieku, jedynie jeden pan jest jako co inzynier, ale jako takim producentem byl pan Steve, wiec jest ambitnie, ale te wielkie ambicje rozbijaja sie o gatunek jaki podejmuje plyta, bo jest to rock w edycji popowej lat 80, wiec synthami ostro po kablach rzuca, az przychodzi fragmentami na mysl still life of Pat Metheny Group i zwlaszcza ich jojowy last train home, album tak solowy, ze pan Steve sam sobie musial robic z chorki, ale nie ma zle, bo przeciez wojsa tez mozna pusicic z efekciarskim efektem i tak jakby nowy glos sie narodzil, z czego jest korzystane na plycie, jak na solowy album to jest masa instrumentow i nie ma miejsc, ktore bylby niewykorzystane instrumentalnie, wiec czapki z glow za taki projekt w latach 80, gdzie jeszcze wszystko trzeba bylo robic na drutach, a nie klepiac w komputr, jak przystalo na album mocno popowy trakuje on w calosci praktycznie o romansach, co juz sie nawet rzuca w oczy z samych tytulow, nie wymeczyl mnie ten 40 minutowy seansik, bo tylko 7 trakow, ale raczej nic mi w glowie po nim nie zostanie, jedynie poza informacja, ze tak solowy material znalazl swe miejsce na liscie, ale to pewnie przez wyspiarskie pochodzenie plyty, na plejke leci second-hand woman, takiego okreslenia na babe jeszcze nie slyszalem i mocno z niego zgnilem, polecam serdecznie
Steve Winwood manages to cling on to relevancy into the 1980s, mining the dominant sounds of synth-pop and channelling his songwriting down an easy-listening, distinctly bland avenue. After spending time as the leader of the Spencer Davis Group, multi-instrumentalist of Traffic and Blind Faith, Winwood had his solo breakthrough with "Arc of a Diver", after several years in obscurity. Perhaps in an effort to be popular and current again, he covered the album in an unmistakeable 80's sheen, occasionally pulling it off. The most enjoyable groove is "Night Train" with its rock-solid beat, popping percussive synth sounds, fretless bass vamps and tight rhythm guitar. Despite being the longest track on the album, it justifies its length and allows each instrument room to breathe. "Second Hand Woman" boasts about the catchiest chorus on the record- I'd even go as far to call it soaring. But that's most of the praise I can afford this album. Across the rest of it, there are glimmers of greatness- a lick here, a synth line there- but in truth, these are few and far between. They're all played well, but it's just relentlessly bland: locked into formula, with no edge to any of it whatsoever. This might be forgivable if the songs were at least catchy, or had something worth remembering about them: but most do not. This is adult contemporary to relax to, to be wistful and reminisce about the older days, to soundtrack your divorce or mid-life crisis... you name it. Yes, Winwood played all the instruments on his own and deserves some credit for that. But while that's a nice bit of trivia, it doesn't help to improve the actual songs. Winwood's vocal, once a powerhouse of 60s rock, is by now a well-worn jumper: still reliable and polished, but lacking edge. The instrumentals are dominated by obnoxious synths: it would have been nice to hear more guitars, or acoustic instruments. The synths here are too brash, too in-your-face, with some harsh tones and cheap, dated sounding leads. Take "If You See A Chance", the lead single here and the one that was apparently a hit. After being plastered with a tacky synth lead for its main riff, it then bridges into a meandering verse and a chorus like a limp handshake. Knowing that Winwood played the drums on it as well as the guitar and that talky-fizzy synth sound doesn't help me enjoy it any more. After crawling through a set of similar experiences toward the finish line, we're given "Dust": a cloying ending with characteristically insipid lyrics ("A feather duster's no substitute for the real thing; and the dust you left behind is settling still"). Whatever the "real thing" might be in music, Winwood definitely seems like a feather duster here.
What a big load of 80s synth cheese. It's like they deliberately picked the tritest synth sounds. Too bad he wasn't keeping up with developments by Bowie and Gabriel. No edge to it at all.
I struggled to get through this. It's so bland I fear I may have slipped into a coma. I have always claimed I can find good in any album though so... well, it's only seven tracks long. And another thing, 'chances' does not rhyme with 'answered'!
Is this what people think they're hearing when they listen to Steely Dan and don't like it? They're wrong. It's not this. This is this. And it's bad. Maybe I'm allowing the try-hard that permeates every bit of it to colour my judgement, and it'd sound more winning if I got past that, but first blush is all I got.
Just not at all my thing, didn't enjoy. Feels like this is what Simply Red was trying to be. 1/5
Nej nej nej inte min grej, säkerhetsfilmsvibe första låtarna.... night train va väl lite nice men inte alls nice nog.
Steve Winwood: "All right, everybody all tuned up and ready to roll?" Band: "You got it, boss. Let's rock." Steve Winwood: "Timmy, you got that synth set to 'Elegant Farts'?" Timmy: *forces saddest thumbs up of all time in Winwood's direction* Steve Winwood: "Perfect, Tim. Let's make magic! And a one, two, three..." Or at least, that's how I imagine it went down. Anyway, this is not for me. I did like the title track well enough. Otherwise it's a cloudy blur.
oof, that was some bullshit early-80s pop. Yay, Steve, you played all the instruments on this album and it still sucked.
Synth heavy. Great musician and writer. Songs sound so aged.