Album Review #12 - Huey Lewis & The News - "Picture This" (1982)

Album Review #12

Artist:  Huey Lewis and The News

Album:  Picture This

Year of Release:  1982

Grade:  4 / 5

 

Band Members

Huey Lewis – vocals, harmonica

Chris Hayes – lead guitar, backing vocals

Johnny Colla - rhythm guitar, backing vocals

Mario Cipollina – bass

Bill Gibson – drums, percussion, backing vocals

Sean Hopper – keyboards, backing vocals

 

Tower of Power - brass

 

Background

The band came about after a merger of two bands – Clover (Huey Lewis, Sean Hopper) and Soundhole (Johnny Colla, Mario Cipollina, Bill Gibson).  The band Clover (without Huey Lewis) did some recording with Elvis Costello while Huey Lewis did some work with Thin Lizzy and its singer Phil Lynott.  Soundhole, on the other hand, backed up Van Morrison.  The new band called “Huey Lewis and the American Express” released a couple of singles before having to change their name because of the banking/credit card company of the same name.  They also added lead guitarist Chris Hayes to the mix.

 

Their self titled debut failed to make a splash despite some great tunes.  “Picture This” was their second album and their first brush with success.

 

I remember being such a fan of this album after it came out.  I didn’t get to see them on the “Picture This” tour if they even came to the Detroit area but I saw they were coming to Pine Knob Music Theater.  Since they weren’t a big band at the time, I decided to get lawn seats and then move down when it didn’t fill up (common practice).  EXCEPT… between the time that I bought the tickets and they came to town, they released the giant hit album Sports.  Needless to say, I was stuck on the lawn because the show sold out.  They are a great group of musicians with a very engaging sound.

 

 

 

Track Listing

1.      “Change of Heart” (Chris Hayes, Huey Lewis)

2.      “Tell Me A Little Lie” (Johnny Colla, Lewis)

3.      “Tattoo (Giving It All Up for Love)” (Phil Lynott)

4.      “Hope You Love Me Like You Say You Do” (Mike Duke)

5.      “Working For A Living” (Hayes, Lewis)

6.      “Do You Believe In Love” (“Mutt” Lange)

7.      “Is It Me” (Hayes, Lewis, Sean Hopper)

8.      “Whatever Happened To True Love” (Colla, Lewis)

9.      “The Only One” (Colla, Lewis, Bill Gibson)

10.  “Buzz Buzz Buzz” (Robert Byrd, John Gray)

 

Review

“Change of Heart” is a great opening song.  As is typical of this group’s songs, it has a great melody with a nice dose of humor.  This song is about a couple going through relationship struggles.  The singer’s girl runs hot and cold about their future.  The singer always takes her back and is getting second thoughts about doing it again.

 

“Tell Me A Little Lie” has some great guitar work.  The song is about the breakup of a relationship that never started.  The singer wants the girl to lie to him about telling him that they will always be together.  Great guitar solo by Chris Hayes.

 

“Tattoo (Giving It All Up For Love)” is a cover of a Phil Lynott (Thin Lizzy lead singer) solo song.  I did not know this was not an original upon hearing it.  It fits so well into the band’s sound that it sounds like it was written for them.  It does have a much different sound than the original Lynott version.  The intro with bass, guitar, and harmonica is a great opener.  Surprisingly, it is more uptempo than the original which has a more funk feel to it.  Once again, it features a great guitar solo by Hayes.

“Hope You Love Me Like You Say You Do” is a great song and some real bluesy or soul filled moments.  The singer is doubting whether his girlfriend really does love him like she says.  He isn’t sure and he’s pleading for the truth.  It has some great saxophone and guitar work.

 

“Working For a Living” is a great blue collar working person song.  It was based on all the jobs that Huey had before becoming a professional musician like being a truck driver, busboy, and bartender.  It was covered as a duet later with country superstar Garth Brooks.  It opens with some great keyboards.  It also features some great backing vocals.  It also has some of that great band humor as well.

 

“Do You Believe In Love” was written by mega producer Robert John “Mutt” Lange.  It was their first big hit.  It opens with kind of a guitar/keyboard feeling that is almost like skipping down the street.  It has great appeal to the ears.  It features a great sax solo by Colla.  Beside the radio friendliness, it had a great (but somewhat creepy) video with the girl completely oblivious to the presence of the 6 band members.  It’s all about the hopefulness of love.

 

 

“Is It Me” is about the singer looking at the reason for why the girl broke with him.  It is the self doubt of the singer.  The bluesy sax solo by Colla clearly reflects the ache of the singer’s pain.

 

“What Ever Happened To True Love” is an upbeat bluesy song.  The singer is trying get over a failed relationship that he thought was going to last forever.  He is questioning if there is such a thing as true love.

 

“The Only One” is probably my least favorite song on this album.  It just doesn’t have the pop or the emotion that the rest of the album but I do like the chorus a lot.

 

“Buzz Buzz Buzz” is another cover song but is really catchy.  It starts with a really cool sax and harkens back to some Motown or doo wop song.  At first, the listener is apt to shrug with it but you can’t shake the melody and chorus to find yourself singing it in your head.