Year: 2023
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 41:54
Size: 98,2 MB
Art: Front
(5:53) 1. JoJo
(4:37) 2. Breakdown Dead Ahead
(5:10) 3. Simone
(4:57) 4. You Can Have Me Anytime
(4:54) 5. Middle Man
(3:47) 6. Do Like You Do in New York
(3:41) 7. Angel You
(4:55) 8. Isn't It Time
(3:56) 9. You Got Some Imagination
1980's Middle Man was Boz Scaggs' last album for Columbia before an eight-year self-imposed sabbatical. Scaggs nonetheless caps off the decade with equal nods to his '70s hitmaking formulas and the newer, shinier production techniques of the coming decade.
The synthesizer rocker "Angel You" and the title track are given the full in-vogue androgynous (i.e., Hall & Oates) treatment, while the opener "Jo Jo" and "Simone" are pages taken from his Here's the Low Down-era grooves that wedded soulful vocals against a flurry of jazz changes.
His penchant for the ballad is explored on "You Can Have Me Any Time" and "Isn't It Time," while his seldom-seen rockier side comes up for air on the bluesy "Breakdown Dead Ahead" and "You Got Some Imagination," both featuring stinging guitar from Steve Lukather. Not his best album, but a very timely one. By Cub Koda
https://www.allmusic.com/album/middle-man-mw0000652253
Personnel: Boz Scaggs – lead vocals, guitar (1–8); David Foster – synthesizers (1, 3, 5, 7–9), acoustic piano (1–5, 7), string arrangements (1, 3–5, 8), electric piano (3, 4, 8), synthesizer programming; Don Grolnick – electric piano (2), acoustic piano (8); David Paich – additional synthesizer (3), organ (6), synthesizers (6); James Newton Howard – clavinet (6); Michael Boddicker – synthesizer programming; Larry Fast – synthesizer programming; Steve Porcaro – synthesizer programming; Ray Parker Jr. – guitar (1–8), bass (6); Steve Lukather – lead guitars (1, 3, 5–8), additional guitars (2), guitar solo (2, 7, 8), all guitars (9); Carlos Santana – guitar solo (4); John Pierce – bass (1); David Hungate – bass (2–5, 7–9); Jeff Porcaro – drums (1, 3–5, 7, 9)
The synthesizer rocker "Angel You" and the title track are given the full in-vogue androgynous (i.e., Hall & Oates) treatment, while the opener "Jo Jo" and "Simone" are pages taken from his Here's the Low Down-era grooves that wedded soulful vocals against a flurry of jazz changes.
His penchant for the ballad is explored on "You Can Have Me Any Time" and "Isn't It Time," while his seldom-seen rockier side comes up for air on the bluesy "Breakdown Dead Ahead" and "You Got Some Imagination," both featuring stinging guitar from Steve Lukather. Not his best album, but a very timely one. By Cub Koda
https://www.allmusic.com/album/middle-man-mw0000652253
Personnel: Boz Scaggs – lead vocals, guitar (1–8); David Foster – synthesizers (1, 3, 5, 7–9), acoustic piano (1–5, 7), string arrangements (1, 3–5, 8), electric piano (3, 4, 8), synthesizer programming; Don Grolnick – electric piano (2), acoustic piano (8); David Paich – additional synthesizer (3), organ (6), synthesizers (6); James Newton Howard – clavinet (6); Michael Boddicker – synthesizer programming; Larry Fast – synthesizer programming; Steve Porcaro – synthesizer programming; Ray Parker Jr. – guitar (1–8), bass (6); Steve Lukather – lead guitars (1, 3, 5–8), additional guitars (2), guitar solo (2, 7, 8), all guitars (9); Carlos Santana – guitar solo (4); John Pierce – bass (1); David Hungate – bass (2–5, 7–9); Jeff Porcaro – drums (1, 3–5, 7, 9)
Middle Man
