Writer
James Chrispell calls
Phil Seymour, the solo debut from
Dwight Twilley's bandmate, "a real fine pop masterwork." "Precious to Me" landed in the Top 25 at the beginning of 1981, and it is a snappy delight. "I Found a Love" follows in that vein, while "Love You So Much" has the pauses that made the work with
the Dwight Twilley Band so much fun (this was the first of two titles written by
Twilley). The lighthearted music is serious stuff crafted from the bubblegum school, but with an edge and without all the angst
Nick Lowe would inject. "Baby It's You" isn't
the Shirelles/
Beatles song, but rather a driving, jangly statement of immediate love from
Seymour.
Bobby Fuller's classic "Let Her Dance," with electric handclaps, is the perfect ending to side one and a perfect fit. The production team of
Richard Podolor and engineer
Bill Cooper certainly knows how to craft great records;
Steppenwolf and
Three Dog Night had many discs frosted with that duo's magic, and the power pop drives immediately on side two.
Twilley's "Then We Go Up" works and is followed by the equally potent "Don't Blow Your Life Away," written by guitarist
Bill Pitcock, both essays providing the melody and backbeat that makes this genre so eternally delightful. There's a cool cover of the
Elvis Presley/
Roy Orbison plea "Trying to Get to You," a semi-blues rendition which puts a little detour on this dance card, but has immense charm.
Seymour's own "I Really Love You" flies right out of the park, another one of those classic pop tunes someone should reinvent, while guitarist
Pitcock from
the Dwight Twilley Band as well as some
Twilley solo work, pens "Won't Finish Here," which does finish the album in fine style.
Phil Seymour from the late
Phil Seymour is a classic worth hearing time and again.