Nik Kershaw - Human Racing

Right off the bat let's shine a light on the elephant in the room. "Wouldn't It Be Good" is probably the song he's best remembered for, and for good reason. The petulant sulky song about the whiny kid who's self absorbed in his problems and you have no idea how bad he's got it. Waugh, waugh, waugh. It's also an absolutely killer song, and it is still an absolutely killer song.

It was also the tip of the iceberg, but in order to understand the depth of his talent you'd have to immerse yourself and most people didn't bother. Frankly I can't claim to know that much either, I only have his first two albums. Those first two albums gave us a decent look at the bits floating on top, we were able to take a  picture and then moved on. 

Maybe instead of trying to craft some elaborate and disconnected allegory (is it an allegory?) about frozen water, I should have just pigeon holed Nik as a one hit wonder ... but that wouldn't have been accurate either, but then again maybe people didn't hear "The Riddle" so it could have worked. Too late now, I've committed myself to a course of action, and dagnabbit I'm going to see this through.

Regardless, it's not like Nik made it easy on the listener. I mean the first cut "Dancing Girls" features a frenetic drum program that was so busy I'm sure the guys in Dead or Alive took notice and used it as inspiration for "You Spin Me Round" and from there it's not a stretch to imagine the girls in Bananarama all standing around pressing buttons to get the pattern for "Venus" just right ... of course I could just be full of shit.

Despite the odd start, all was forgiven with "Wouldn't It Be Nice" came up next. This was why I bought the album. Besides the interplay between the rock elements that were interwoven with cool synth textures and real honest to goodness horns was wicked. The song was a mini masterclass in sonic deliciousness.

Then it was back to the more techno pop elements, and frankly this was where the wheels fell off for me back in the day. I wanted that hybrid rock and this, this wasn't what I signed on for. Of course I'd play the album through a couple of times, but it would get filed, and only brought out if I was making a mix tape and wanted to pull off the one song I liked.

That was then.

I will admit that I am still partial to the big hit, but I've given this more than a cursory spin, and I know it seems like I'm trying too hard to like this and find something positive to say, but I'm not ... not really. Nik Kershaw was the real deal, and the songs here even "Dancing Girls" and the odd backing vocals employed on "Gone to Pieces" and the vocal percussion Nik throws in here and there is fun to listen to.

Nik was a pretty decent musician too, playing pretty much everything and his guitar work was actually really tasty when he would step out and throw in a solo. I also really liked the balance between the programmed drums and a real kit ... depending on the song and what was required Nik was smart enough to use the right stuff in the right places.

Listening to this again, it's funny how some songs jump out now, that I'm surprised didn't make more of an impact back in '84. "Cloak and Dagger" is a killer song with a techno feel that has some great guitar work (so tasty) and is anchored by a killer bass part. This should have been on a mix tape. I suspect that I gave this a cursory play and quickly passed judgment and then filled it away.

It's too bad I didn't spend a little more time with this when I was younger. It's not like Nik Kershaw didn't resonate, when his follow up The Riddle dropped later that same year I snapped it up. It was a solid album, and even though I didn't think much of the song "Wide Boy" I really liked the title track and a few others. More of that in another entry.

I know I said this was the tip of the iceberg (still flogging that dead horse), but honestly that was more hyperbole, but Nik really was the real deal. He may have been terrified but check out his short set at Live Aid. He was just a kid and he killed it. Wouldn't it be good if that had served to really launch his career?