A Glimpse of Arc of a Diver (1980) by Steve Winwood
Steve Winwood has recently announced his first tour for five years (US gigs only so far). That news reminded me of his great solo albums, following his contributions to the Spencer Davies Group (most remembered for ‘Keep on Running’), Traffic, and Blind Faith in the 1960s and 70s. The first of his nine solo albums (plus a greatest hits compilation) was released in 1977. Arc of a Diver was the second, in 1980.1
Click the cover, above, to listen to Arc of a Diver on the streaming service of your choice.
On the first Steve Winwood album, the track ‘Vacant Chair’ had made a change from our steady diet of prog rock at college. Arc was an instant purchase, especially as a Christmas record token burned a hole in my pocket.
When the album was released, I had a job, and a car with a decent cassette player soon followed. I transferred my vinyl copy of the album to a C90 (I guess I put the first record, Steve Winwood, on the other side) and my happy place became driving around while joining in with the chorus of the album’s hit single ‘While You See a Chance Take It’.
Arc had a refreshingly different, crisp, production. These were the days before the loudness wars. Winwood is principally recognised as a keyboard player and singer2, and is classified as ‘blue-eyed soul’ or ‘pop rock’. His vocals are light and have a purity of tone.
But there’s more to Winwood than that. On this album, he’s responsible for almost everything: lead and backing vocals, Prophet-5, Minimoog, Yamaha CS-80, Hammond B3 organ, Steinway piano, Ovation acoustic guitar, Fender Stratocaster electric guitar, Ibanez mandolin, bass guitar, Multimoog (also used for keyboard fretless bass), Hayman and Ludwig drums, Linn LM-1 programming, percussion, producer, engineer, and mixing. But, apart from that …okay, he had an additional engineer (John ‘Nobby’ Clarke) and John Dent took care of the mastering.
Sometimes it’s necessary to make allowances when one guy (usually it is a guy) plays all the instruments on an album. Yes, it’s very clever, but the listener can be left wondering how good the record could have been if recorded by a full band. Winwood commented: “People have done albums like that before. But to me they sound like an overdubbed album. I worked hard at trying to make it sound like a band.”3
He succeeded on the record, and live. Listen to track two, side 2, ‘Night Train’. The track has a soul-driven swing; it’s got proper depth to every aspect of the recording. This, rare, live recording is both rockier and funkier than the studio version:
Also notable are the people Winwood wrote these songs with. He’s writing with American lyricist Will Jennings, nephew of Ian Fleming and Winwood’s friend George Fleming (making his first attempt at lyrics) and, most notably, famous eccentric … formerly of The Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band, Tubular Bells master of ceremonies and creator of Sir Henry of Rawlinson End - Viv Stanshall.
Winwood had written his own lyrics, but his label Island was driving this project; they wanted a successful solo career as much as Winwood wasn’t sure he really did, so less abstract and more radio-friendly words were needed. That created one problem. ‘Second-Hand Woman’ reminds us this was the ‘80s, and the George Fleming was new to lyric writing. The song is as misogynistic as the title suggests.
Fleming redeems himself with ‘Dust’ - alongside the title track, ‘While You See a Chance’ and ‘Night Train’, this is what we’re here for. ‘Dust’ borders on poetry: “The dust, the gentle legacy you left behind / Is falling softly on my mind.” Coupled with a suitably beautiful melody it makes for a lovely close to the album.
‘Slowdown Sundown’ could have been written for his one-time partner in crime Eric Clapton - equally, it has the feel of a Clapton song written for Winwood.
Layered in synthesisers and released at a time before this was a common aural experience, Arc sold in the numbers Winwood (and Island) required. Listening back in time - over 40 years - is always difficult because of necessity our mind is processing the experience in the light of everything we’ve enjoyed (or not) since. We should allow the same leeway for lyrics too, although it is natural to wonder what they were thinking, even at the time.
Have a good tour Steve.
What do you make of Arc of a Diver? Or perhaps you have a view on the sound of the ‘80s or the loudness wars? Paid subscribers are able to send me a direct message, and everyone can leave a comment.
RECOMMENDED READING
While You See a Chance: The Steve Winwood Story by John van Der Kiste
(Bookshop.org affiliate link)
See you again at the end of the week with the next album-length playlist, Gems #035. Another Glimpse of a classic album follows early next week.
Enjoy the music,
Ian
Just about - 29 December 1980. It must have been one of the few albums to be released in that odd period between Christmas and New Year.