Spirit and
Jo Jo Gunne veteran
Jay Ferguson had one of the most enjoyable hits of the '70s with 1977's "Thunder Island." The vocalist/keyboardist was spared one-hit wonder status with one more Top 40 single, the terrific "Shakedown Cruise" from the 1979 follow-up
Real Life Ain't This Way. It's a slick, professionally performed album, but except for "Shakedown Cruise," the songs aren't terribly memorable. The high level of craftsmanship is due to the personnel involved. The executive producer is
Bill Szymczyk and the musicians include ex-
Jo Jo Gunne and future
Boston drummer
Curly Smith and latter-day
James Gang guitarist
Bob Webb. Also lending a hand are
Joe Walsh and
Walsh's longtime drummer,
Joe Vitale. The sleek interplay between
Webb and additional guitarist
Tony Battaglia provides integral support for
Ferguson, particularly on "Shakedown Cruise." The spry piano chords and bright-yet-crunchy guitars fit nicely with the vocal melody. A bouncy,
Billy Joel-esque feel permeates "No Secrets." The jazzy saxophone solo by Col Clesser adds a bit of spice to the otherwise laid-back "Real Life Ain't That Way." The lyrics of "Davey" are slight, thus, it would have been better off as an instrumental to showcase the musicians' skills. There's a bit of sparkle to "Paying Time," which includes
Walsh on lead guitar. The pleasant ballad "Too Late to Save Your Heart" is punctuated by
Mark Colby's saxophone work. A straightforward cover medley of
the Rolling Stones' "Let's Spend the Night Together" and "Have You Seen Your Mother, Baby, Standing in the Shadow?" is indicative of both a shortage of original songs and a desire to just have a fun studio jam.
Real Life Ain't This Way is long out of print. ~ Bret Adams