•
Rating:
The story of John Power and his Cast is inextricably linked to the English musical culture of the nineties.
He was still a kid when Mike Badger and Lee Mavers recruited him as the bassist for The La's; this resulted in that one album which served as inspiration and sustenance for an entire generation of musicians.
Just like the Stone Roses, the band from Liverpool claimed so many victims that they imploded on themselves; the pressures and -undoubtedly- the immense stress are not factors to be underestimated when reaching the upper echelons of the record industry.
Playing the same tracks for more than five years, meanwhile neglecting the continuous dissatisfaction of frontman Lee as he disparages the production of the album in interviews (for not being retro enough as he wanted it); all of this clearly led Power to the choice of continuing to make music on his own.
The word cast is the last to be uttered in the self-titled album by The La's, in Looking Glass.
The band then came to light after numerous lineup changes. Peter Wilkinson from the defunct Shack on bass, John Power on vocals and guitar, Keith O'Neill on drums, and Liam Tyson on lead guitar (the latter also played with The Strange Sensation of Robert Plant). All Change presents them in all their simplicity.
The Cast are a rock band with a decidedly melodic verve; the tracks are permeated with an electricity that nonetheless does not deny John's folk attitude (highlighted more in his solo albums).
I base my statement especially on Sandstorm and Back Of My Mind.
Walkaway is the track placed towards the end of the album that is worth the price of admission; I've always interpreted it as a moderate and slightly melancholic "screw you."
One of those travel songs, if you will, for leaving the place where you are towards the unknown. It invites you to leave if you've already heard everything "they had to say."
All of All Change is actually imbued with positive sensations, and I can't help but recommend it to those who need to abandon.
Tracklist Lyrics and Samples
01 Sandstorm (02:41)
I've got a sandstorm blowin' in my head
I'm seein' many colours but the only one that's coming through is red
And it's stoppin' me dead tryin' to make some tracks
But my feet are feeling like lead
Stop being bled, stop being bled
Oh my things aren't the same
Anyone could see that if I stayed much longer
I'd be tamed
We stopped playing games
I'm not pointing fingers but I'm not taking all the blame
Playin' all your games, taking all your blame
I said oh no, I don't even care
I guess I'll be seein' you
I guess I'll be leaving you today
We're just not a pair
I know you've been trying but I just can't bear to tell a lie'
Tellin' me all your lies
Tellin' me all your lies
Lies
Let me take you by the hand
Try to understand,
You walk me to a land,
Try to understand,
Are you nothing but a man?
I've got a sandstorm blowin' in my head
I'm seein' many colours but the only one that's coming through is red
You know how we feel, we can't go on pretending
And we've just got to fix the deal
Gotta make it real
Gotta make it real
02 Four Walls (03:09)
These four walls are destined to stay
They say I'm guilty and the guilty must pay
But all I'm askin' is to have a my say
Do you think I'll ever get out
Will I ever get out of here
Will I ever push down my fear
Will I ever see through my tears
Will I ever get out of here tonight
The sands of time them fallin' right through my hand
Can't make no sense and I can't make no plans
All I'm askin' is to lend me your hand
Come on and help me get out
Will I ever get out of here
Will I ever push down my fear
Will I ever see through my tears
Will I ever get out of here tonight
Will I ever get out of here
Will I ever push down my fear
Will I ever see through my tears
Will I ever get out of here tonight
So at last I'm feeling the pain
Can't take the weight and I can't take the strain
Can't see no future and I can't see no gain
Looks like we never get out
Will I ever get out of here
Will I ever push down my fear
Will I ever see through my tears
Will I ever get out of here tonight
Well I guess I'll never know
I guess I'll never know, I guess I'll never know
Am I free, am I free to go
Well I guess I'll never know
I guess I'll never know, I guess I'll never know
Am I free, am I free to go
Am I free, am I free to go
I don't know
04 Alright (03:36)
I guess I'm alright, guess I'm alright.
I guess I'm doing fine, guess I'm doing fine,
D'you think I miss you? d'you think I care?
D'you think I'll lie here and die?
You never even tried,you never even tried.
Now it's about time, it's the right time,
If you willed your mind, you willed your mind,
To fly on swift now,
On your journey home,
And you've left the nest now, and you have flown,
and nothing you don't know, ain't nothing you don't know
Look out to sea, and tell me what we came here for,
Is it what they say or is it more than you can know,
and if so, which way am I to go, which way am I to go,
which way am I to go?
I guess I'm alright guess I'm alright,
I guess I'm doing fine, guess I'm doing fine,
Can't see no reason,
and not much to do,
So make like the wind that's blowing you,
ain't nothing you can't do, ain't nothing you can do,
Repeat and fade.
05 Finetime (03:06)
So what's it all about, do you really wanna to know
Do you wanna to give or do you just wanna to take it all and go
Coz you've gotta let it out if you wanna let it in
Gotta get a little bit of lovin' in to make it all begin
You've gotta find time to pick the right time to make a change
Cos its a fine time to pick the right time to make a change
So when you gonna learn that it takes all sorts
Don't you think life would be a little drab if we had the same thoughts
Cos you've taken all the good but you leave me with the bad
And if you don't make a change pretty soon there won't be nothin' comin back
You've gotta find time to pick the right time to make a change
Cos its a fine time to pick the right time to make a change
I do believe you read the verse
I do believe you wrote the words
I just need to let you out to let you in with me
I just need to feel you're love again and again
You've gotta find time to pick the right time to make a change
Cos its a fine time to pick the right time to make a change
So what's it all about, and do you really wanna to know
Do you wanna give or do you just want to take it all and go
Cos you've got to let it out if you wanna let it in
Better let a bit of little lovin' in and make it all begin
You've gotta find time to pick the right time to make a change
You'd better find time, be the right time to make a change
I do believe you read the verse
I do believe you wrote the words
I just need to let you out to let you in with me
I just need to feel you're love again and again and again and again
06 Mankind (03:44)
When you start to find, start to see the signs
Read between the lines
Then you start to learn, wheels start to turn
Like fire burns
I tried to show you but you could not see me
I tried to tell you but you could not hear me, no So I just let go
Then you realise all can't be defined
The questions in your mind
Then you open wide and see what's yet to come
Now it's only just begun
I tried to signal but you do not receive me
I tried the truth but you will not believe me, no
So I just let go
Cause I can see the things I need to see
Come alive with energy
And I'm a big believer in mankind
Watch the world revolving through my eyes
Watch the world evolving in my mind
When you start to learn, wheels start to turn
Fire burns
Then you open wide, see what's yet to come
And now it's only just begun
I tried to touch but I could not reach you
You hear the prayer but will you be preached to, no?
Watch the world revolving through my eyes
See the world evolving in my mind
And the world turns round and round
To the music and the sound
Hear the world responding to our cry
07 History (04:25)
I was born to live and I live to give
I'm the love that you feel, the life that lives real in you
I was born to die and I live to cry
I'm your tormented soul, blackness that holds to all you
So think of me as history and I will leave to you all that you do
Well I walked this earth, since woman gave birth
I'm a seed that is sown, the harvest is grown in all of you
But I've laid to waste, my future in haste
I'm the crops that have failed
The burden that's nailed to all you
So think of me as history and I will leave to you all that you do
So think of me as history and I will leave to you all that you do
All love is holy, all love is holy, all love is holy
Our love is holy
I'm the cloud that bursts, I rain down for your thirst
I'm the thunder you hear, the lightening that spears your night
I'm the shadow that is cast, I project all your past
I'm the children you burn, the cross that is turned by all you
So think of me as history and I will leave to you all that you do
08 Back of My Mind (03:04)
They say they'll take it away to reassure them that the future is there
I hear the words that they say but don't believe them
We take the control, the hours taking it's toll
From the back of my mind, I can hear you
From the corner of my eye, I still see you
We believe in you all
Everything that you need is right besides you
But you turn it away
You've got an instinct inside, that's there to guide you
When you make your own way
We chase the future today
From the back of my mind, I can hear you
From the corner of my eye, I still see you
We believe in you all
From the back of my mind, I can hear you
From the corner of my eye, I still see you
From the back of my mind, from the back of my mind
From the back of my mind
Everything that you see stands right before you if you open your eyes
Understand your beliefs and we'll expect you to know where it's at
Man it's as simple as that
From the back of my mind, I can hear you
From the corner of my eye, I still see you
We believe in you
So take the control, the hour's taking it's toll
Don't throw it away, we chase the future today
We taste the future today, make the future our way
09 Walkaway (03:51)
You've heard all they've got to say
You looked but turned away
Just walk away walk away
You've said all you got to say
Now the words just slip away
Just walk away, walk away, walk away
That's what they say, what they say, what they say
You gotta walk away
If you've played all the games they've played
You played them yesterday
Just walk away, walk away
If you've been, where they wanna go, seen all they've got to show
Just walk away, walk away, walk away
That's what they say, what they say, what they say
You gotta walk away
And now you must believe me, you never lose your dream
So now you must believe me, we never lose our dreams
If you proved all there is to prove, got nothing left to lose
Just walk away, walk away
If you've done, all there is to do, ain't nothing left for you
Just walk away, walk away, walk away
That's what they say, what they say, what they say
Walk away, walk away, walk away
That's what they say, what they say, what they say
You gotta walk away today
10 Reflections (03:05)
Well I can see my reflection reflecting in you
And I can feel the connection connecting the two
It`s dream reality,
trying to break free and wake me
Dream reality
Trying to break free from this world,
from the world
Well I can feel your reactions reacting with mine
And I can sense things are happening
and they`re happening on time
It`s dream reality, t
rying to break free and wake me
Dream reality
Trying to break free from this world,
from the world
Dream reality
Trying to break free and wake me
Dream reality
Trying to break free from this world,
free from the world
Let me free from this world,
free from the world
Well I can feel your directions
directing me on line
And I believe you`re responding,
responding to your mind
It`s dream reality,
trying to break free and wake me
Dream reality
Trying to break free from this world
Free from this world
Free from this world
From the world
Loading comments slowly
