Published on Jun 23, 1999
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: give me a CD that has
catchy melodies amd intelligent lyrics and I am a happy person.
That said,
Standing On The Shoulders Of Giants, the new release by
singer/songwriter Bill Lloyd has made me a very happy person.
Lloyd is mostly known by country music fans as part of the duo
Foster and Lloyd, which had a few hits in the late 1980’s, but as a
solo artist, he writes pop-oriented tunes. His previous CD,
Set To Pop, was a wonderful entry to the pop-rock genre, and
this new one just might be even better because it has a fuller,
more dynamic sound without sacrificing excellent songcraft.
Lloyd wears his Beatles influence on his sleeve, and as a big
Beatles fan myself, I knew I’d love any CD that has a song called
“Turn Me On Dead Man”. (For those unfamiliar with Beatles folklore,
that is the phrase you are supposed to hear if you play “Revolution
#9” backwards). This song combines a great psychedelic drenched
sound with clever wordplay that recalls the pop band Squeeze.
Another Beatlesque song is “Dr. Robert’s Second Opinion”, a
sequel to the Beatles “Dr. Robert” where the title character seems
to regret the trouble he had caused all those years ago.There are
other more subtle Beatlesque touches elsewhere in the form of
guitar riffs, but this is more than just a tribute CD.
“Cool And Gone” has to be my favorite song this year as it is a
refreshing take on lost love. Here Lloyd continues his songwriting
partnership with David Surface, who together wrote some pretty
nifty tunes on
Set To Pop.
Other highlights are the rousing title tune, the eccentric
butcatchy “Box Of Snakes”, and two gorgeous midtempo ballads “So
You Won’t Have To” and “Years Away From Here”. The last three songs
are at the end of this collection, giving
Standing On The Shoulders Of Giants a second wind that is so
rare on any CD.
Lloyd manages to work with some great talent. As on
Set To Pop, he collaborates with another pop genius,
Marshall Crenshaw, on the melodic winner “Holding Back The
Waterfall”. Also scattered on the CD are Smithereens drummer Dennis
Diken, Cheap Trick bassist Tom Petersson, and classic rock organist
Al Kooper. And if Kim Richey, Amy Rigby, and Greg Trooper aren’t
exactly giants, they should be as they have all come out some very
good CDs in their own right.
Standing On The Shoulders Of Giants is a great collection of
songs that are immediately appealing, taking the best from the past
and creating something inspiring. Pick up this CD and you will be
standing…well you know where.