Level 42
Standing In The Light

THE REVIEW

Level 42 is one of those bands that ensures the music scene of the '80s is not considered a mess. They are four highly skilled musicians (five if we consider the "regular guest" Wally Badarou) with a magnificent groove and an ability to write very complicated yet catchy songs. Many remember them for "Lessons In Love," their most famous track, and also one of the worst, which was very successful even here in Italy. In reality, Level 42 goes far beyond a simple catchy pop tune.
"Standing In The Light" is a clear demonstration of what I assert. It is part of the golden period of Level 42, that is, their early albums, when the band was more oriented towards funk than pop (although, I must say, even the following albums are quite good).
The lineup of the album is as follows: Mark King (considered the king of slap, but actually also very skilled in fingerstyle) on bass and vocals, Mike Lindup on keyboards and vocals, Boon Gould on guitar, and Philip Gould (his brother) on drums. Additionally, there's the aforementioned Badarou on keyboards and one of the most sought-after percussionists of the '80s, Paulinho DaCosta (already with Lee Ritenour and Carlos Santana, among others), providing solid support to the band. Now, only King and Lindup remain from this lineup, but Level 42 remains a great band nonetheless.

Regarding the album, the music played is essentially pop, but not classic pop; it is oriented towards funk and pure fusion.
The first track, "Micro-Kid", is a classic example that a catchy and singable song isn't necessarily bad. On the contrary, besides a captivating and engaging rhythm, it contains a good guitar performance by Boon Gould, as well as a solid drum rhythm by Philip. The same goes for the following "The Sun Goes Down (Living It Up)", which live will be enhanced by a splendid fusion arrangement with an instrumental insert not included in the studio recording. The excellent "Out Of Sight (Out Of Mind)" is reminiscent of Toto in their glory days, despite containing a rather silly bridge. The following "Dance On Heavy Water" is not entirely convincing (it's curious to note how Mark King sings "Weather" instead of "Water" on the album), as it has a great groove and a good vocal part, but also an annoying chorus ("Take a chance and dance/It's a chance") repeated to exhaustion. Simply killer is the bass line of "A Pharaoh's Dream (Of Endless Time)", one of the tracks where King's presence is most noticeable. In fact, if it weren't for the typical '80s sound, this piece could almost be considered progressive, with its instrumental breaks and chilling virtuosity. It's no coincidence that the track also features a saxophone solo played by the talented Andrew Woolfolk (formerly with Earth, Wind & Fire).
The album's title track, despite the title, is quite dark, but this doesn't make it any less beautiful than other tracks on the album. On the contrary, the bass line of this track is so beautiful and mysterious that, in my opinion, it should be considered among the best lines in their entire discography. The album closes with three simply perfect songs, the best of the album, and probably among Level 42's masterpieces. "I Want Eyes" is a sweet ballad, yet with slightly aggressive parts, with a truly splendid solo by Mike Lindup, in addition to, as usual, a memorable bass line by King! Speaking of Lindup, he is the author of the following piece, "People", a typical example of British pop mixed with some funky ingredients. A beautiful track, very engaging and calm, with a bass solo by King that greatly resembles his mentor Stanley Clarke. The track's message is optimistic and unsettling at the same time ("Find The Time and You'll realize/life isn't too much time and trouble"). Finally, the album closes with the wonderful "The Machine Stops" (perhaps the same "World Machine" they will talk about later?), a typically funky track with, once again, a spine-chilling bass.

Surely you noticed that I focused more on Mark King and Mike Lindup, the group's leaders, than on the others. The reason is simple: they dominate on the album. However, this doesn't mean the Gould brothers are less important; on the contrary, Philip Gould plays in an almost perfect manner, discreet, never intrusive, but with some rolls capable of making you jump out of your seat. Boon Gould, on the other hand, was always a bit cold in the studio, and in some tracks ("The Machine Stops") he almost completely disappears. In reality, the bootlegs from the period show that Boon is also an exceptional musician, capable of giving a lot.
Highly recommended album for bassists, but not only. If you hate the '80s, this album and this band will partly change your mind. A must-have!