Ei8ht
British singer-songwriter Nik Kershaw is best known for the 80’s classic, "Wouldn’t It Be Good," but the pop-rocker has continued to release well-written and catchy tunes in the interim, with his current effort titled, "Ei8ht," to commemorate his eighth studio release.
Kershaw’s catalog began in the mid 1980’s with four recordings (the first of which, "Human Racing," contained "I Won’t Let The Sun Go Down On Me," as well as the aforementioned hit), but his other releases, including "The Riddle," "Radio Musicola," and "The Works," developed Kershaw a faithful fan base, even without much airplay outside his native England. In 1989, he took time off to produce other artists (including Chesney Hawkes, Cliff Richard and Nick Carter) with the occasional guest appearances, but "Ei8ht" represents his fourth release since 1998, and maintains Kershaw’s ability to put together likeable hooks without pandering in any way. His lyrics contain memorable phrases mixed with thoughtful clichés (especially on "The Sky’s The Limit," and "The Bell"), and his melodies have matured with his songwriting, incorporating more sophisticated sampling ("These Tears") and ethnic instrumentation ("Red Strand"). Kershaw’s distinct voice always conveys the right emotion of his songs, whether biting and sarcastic ("Shoot Me") or adoring and praiseworthy ("You’re the Best").
You can purchase the whole enjoyable set, or download the songs individually online. Kershaw and his band are currently touring the U.K., but hopefully this effort will bring his music back to the attention of American audiences and encourage more output from this underrated performer.
"Ei8ht"
Nik Kershaw
CD and Digital formats
Shorthouse Records
