Nine Lives Reviews

• Steve Winwood Taking It Softly!

  
  By AD4CDZK7D31XP on 2008-05-01
  There are two types of Steve Winwood music, and individual taste will dictate whether you will like this cd or not. If you are the Winwood fan who perfers his R&B pop sound,["Valarie", "Higher Love", "Roll With It", "Gimmie Some Lovin" etc], you are going to more than likely find this cd a total bore. If you perfer his soothing layed back jazzy traffic feel to his music, you are probably going to find this cd enjoyable. Having said that, after listening to this cd a few times, I find the cd to be somewhat uneventful. Well played and sung, but nothing that is going to be memorable, or even ear catching for that matter. Most of the music comes across as bland. I found the best song on the cd to be "At Times We Forget", which at least grabs the listeners ear, and is the most listenable track on this collection. "Dirty City", is another fine song, and features Eric Clapton, and predictably sounds as if it came right out of the Blind Faith era. The rest of the songs basically sound the same, with that jazzy slow uninspired sound. Steve Winwood is a great talent, but sometimes I feel he goes overboard with this smooth jazz sound that I also feel takes the fire out of many of his live shows. I do not want to sound negative, but this cd is nothing near his best work and is average at best.
  
  

• The new rise of a true great British blue-eyed R&B artist !

  
  By A3P2K7CJUAVXK8 on 2008-05-07
  Steve Winwood (who turns 60 this year) has signed a new deal with Columbia Records who has released the artist's highly-anticipated new major label album "Nine Lives", his first studio LP since the acclaimed "About Time" on his own independent label, Wincraft in 2003.
  It and opens an important new chapter in Steve's extraordinary career.
  Even after a career of 45 years, there always a suspicion that Steve Winwood may surprise us.
  He lives the quiet life of a country squire in his Cotswolds retreat, but periodically Steve Winwood emerges, like a gun-dog with a grouse in its mouth, bearing another album of gorgeous, wide-ranging songs.
  "Nine Lives" is the latest: it has less of a Latin flavour than its predecessor About Time, but at times it has more of an edge, especially on the rousing, gritty-sounding "Dirty City", on which his old Blind Faith bandmate Eric Clapton guests on guitar.
  The album is written and co-produced by Steve Winwood with Johnson Somerset- whose previous credits include Roxy Music and Duran Duran.
  Why Nine Lives ? Some people believe in the superstition that cats have nine lives, because cats can survive falls from high places with few, if any injuries. This gives the appearance that the cats return to life after sustaining a fatal accidents, they may sustain minor injuries, such but they live to recover.
  The aptly titled album is a fresh and invigorating rediscovery of Winwood's roots, his personal style and career, and paints a musical portrait of spiritual transformation as Winwood continues the exploration of soul, rock, blues and world music which began in 1957, when, at the age of 9, he played guitar in his father's band in Birmingham, England.
  Pretty much everything you'd ever want from a Steve Winwood album is here: the plaintive voice, the pulsing rhythms, the multifarious musical influences (funk, jazz, blues, world) - and of course Winwood's trusty old Hammond B3 organ, which drenches this album in its blazing, shimmering warmth.
  He is now just days from his 60th birthday, but he joined the Spencer Davis Group at just 15, voyaging through blue-eyed R&B, toying with psychedelia in Traffic, doing the supergroup thing with Eric Clapton in Blind Faith and pioneering the DIY play-everything approach with "Arc of A Diver".
  Since then, Winwood has perfected a synthesis of blues, jazz, soul, latin and occasionally folk which at its best is exquisite. No mean guitarist, a master of the lush Hammond organ and possibly one of the best voices in English rock, Winwood's name should be writ as large as Clapton's.
  It has nine arresting songs: on each of them he continues the exploration of soul, rock, blues and world music that Steve Winwood is renowned for.
  It kicks off with a I'm Not Drowning, hitched to a delta blues riff.
  Amongst the many highlights on the album, "Fly" is a brave and ambitious track featuring soaring powerful vocals set against a cacophony of sound: it is a gossamer-fine love song, using latin rhythm, nylon-strung guitar, pining soprano sax and organ, Winwood's voice creating the kind of hymn-like quality he brought to Traffic's "Holy Ground".
  Other highlights on the album are many and include "Forget About Him", a joyous and moving six-minute journey through horns, keyboards and world instruments.
  Alongside "Hungry Man", which sounds like something from Paul Simon's Brazilian-style "Rhythm Of The Saints", "We're All Looking", a mighty fine Latin funk with lashings of Hammond and the captivating track "Secrets" show that the album is as consistently strong as it is diverse.
  On this CD Steve Winwood turns another musical corner, showcasing his ability to still create relevant and evocative music. It gives his fans, old and new, nine new reasons to celebrate the life and music of this ageless, and still prodigious, musical treasure.
  Steve and Eric Clapton played three sold out nights at Madison Square Gardens, New York in February.
  Steve and his band will be special guests to Tom Petty on his US tour this summer.
  
  

• If you liked him in "Blind Faith" and his jazzy phases, this CD is for you

  
  By A3AVJCB1ZD6ZY5 on 2008-05-04
  I've liked Steve Winwood through most of his career, including Blind Faith, Traffic, and his solo music. I'm not as much a fan of the pop tunes as I am the jazzier, bluesier music.
  
  The single of "Dirty City" a gritty Blind Faith style number with his old friend Eric Clapton led this CD out into radioland. It's my favorite cut of the collection and the reason I bought the CD.
  
  "Fly" is lovely. The flute at the end of the song is compelling and really conjures up the image of flight.
  
  I'd like to see "At Times we Forget" get some airplay. It's got strong lyrics and is a good listen.
  
  Check out the samples on this page and see what you think. While this CD is mostly jazz and blues influenced, fans of Winwood's pop may find a few cuts they really enjoy--and the price for this collection is excellent.
  
  
  
  
  
  

• Some semi-Finer Things

  
  By A4OSXRZR2BMX8 on 2008-04-29
  The new Winwood CD opens in fitting fashion, with "I'm Not Drowning," a catchy acoustic blues number co-written and entirely performed by Steve (the one-man band act he's been known to do over the years). The song is one of three standouts for me on the new long-player, the others being the soulful "Raging Sea," featuring excellent guitar work by Jose Pires de Almeida Neto, and the much-heralded Winwood-Clapton single, "Dirty City." Some of the other songs at first seemed less substantial, such as a pleasant, smooth 7-minute tune called "Fly," but I've appreciated those songs more on the 2nd and 3rd listen. This is not Winwood's all-time best recorded work, but it's a respectable enough collection of new songs from a former kid prodigy who's still putting out good material in his fifth decade as a professional musician.
  
  

• A tremendous surprise

  
  By A3F3E074VDFUS9 on 2008-05-10
  While I've always had an appreciation for all aspects of Steve Winwood's music (solo and non), I've never really gone nuts for any of it. Until now...
  
  Nine Lives is simply a fantastic album. The instrumentation is sparse, made up of mostly Winwood on Hammond and guitar, a drummer, and a percussionist. Occasionally, he's joined by a sax or flute player, and on one track Eric Clapton jumps in for a smokin' guitar solo. The vocals consist of Steve, solo, without a doubled lead vocal track or any background vocals. It's a fairly minimalist arrangement, but the sparseness just makes it that much more effective.
  
  The groove is mostly laid back, and the songs are extended into mostly five to seven minute explorations of a musical idea. The album isn't flashy, and Winwood doesn't seem to be trying to impress anyone with his skills. He's just out to have a good time, and make some music that he enjoys. It translates to a remarkable album.
  
  Nine Lives is an unexpected joy. I can't seem to listen to it enough, and I know I can't recommend it highly enough. It takes a lot for an album to really blow me away. Nine Lives blows me away...
  
  
• BACK ON HIGHER GROUND
  By A25JHXYK10F0A6 on 2008-06-27
  It seems as though we forget too easily just how vital Steve Winwood is. His release rate is sporadic, and as the saying goes, `out of sight, out of mind.' Nevertheless, he's been providing us with great music since the British Invasion (yeah, it's been that long) as a member of the Spencer Davis Group, then with Traffic, then Blind Faith, then the revised Traffic, and finally, as a solo artist. His music has always been relaxed and reflective, but with a strong rhythmic drive and a timeless quality that keeps his music relevant through all sorts of stylistic changes. He may not make a lot of records, but he always makes good ones, so it shouldn't surprise me to learn that "Nine Lives" is as good as it is. The surprise is that it's even better than I had any right to expect.
  "Nine Lives" sounds a lot like second-generation Traffic, with less noodling and more focus. The songs build on blues riffs, jazz, and folk-rock, all coupled with African and Latin influences. There is precision and elegance to virtually every track on this album, without a single extraneous note. It all makes perfect sense, from the nailed down rhythmic grooves to the song lengths, which linger only long enough to make you want more. "Nine Lives" hearkens back to an era when good music defined our culture, but it doesn't sound the least bit dated or forced. In the best sense, this album could have been released in 1972. With nine tracks passing by in approximately fifty minutes, it's even the right length for a classic vinyl album.
  From a topical perspective, Winwood is still relying on the imagery that has served him well in the past. There are lots of metaphors here - flying, drowning (or more specifically, not drowning), raging seas and struggling to find higher ground. He's not a lyrical genius, but the songs are so strong that his words take on a sense of import, and most importantly, he sounds like he really is trying to convey something honestly. Apparently, he still feels as though he's struggling to hang on to something (Relevance? Sanity in a world without pity?), yet the music is never less than relaxed and confident. Is "Nine Lives" as good as his previous solo albums? Definitely. It is certainly his best record since "Arc of a Diver," maybe even since "Low Spark of High-Heeled Boys." There is no filler here, just 100% vintage Steve Winwood, and that is better than good enough for me. A Tom Ryan
  
  
• Another Shore For Winwood
  By A3HU0B9XUEVHIM on 2008-05-02
  Fresh off of a reunion tour with Blind Faith Steve Winwood emmerges with this album.While I still lean towards Steve Winwood,Arc of a Diver and Talking Back to the Night as my favorite Winwood solo albums (all three showcase his talents as a computer,vocalist and multi instrumentalist best) this album has a different kind of charm. The music here generally bridges the cap between Winwood's music with Blind Faith and Traffic with his patented genre bending blend of pop,rock,soul,funk,blues and jazz. He starts off the album in a rather quiet mood with "I'm Not Drowning" and "Fly",the later of which features a beautiful flute solo. On "Raging Sea" Winwood gets down into a funky mood which extends into the blues on the meandering "Dirty City" with Eric Clapton,adding his trademark rocking blues licks to the proceeding. The next four songs "We're All Looking","Hungry Man","Secrets" and "At Times We Do Forget" all showcase the percussive/rhythm-based sound of Traffic but again Winwoods quiet mood continues.On "Other Shore" Steve presents a very good pop song using a similar sound. There's only one question about all this-why other then some good songs would anyone beside Winwood fans want this? Steve Winwood has been around for four decades and while his music has never really wavered in quality his enthusiasm has on occasion,especially on his spotty 90's recordings. So this album isn't as much a comeback as an extension on a theme. It also has the feeling of an album that,while by no means a future classic will grow on the listener and surely become a fan favorite to some people.And being a Winwood fan I hope I am one of them.
  
  
• Superb Album that gets better with every listening
  By A2PK2VA69NE0QB on 2008-05-02
  Well worth the 5-6 year wait and I can't stop playing this album. Its thematically similar to Steve's last album - the excellent About Time - but even more innovative and enjoyable.
  
  When I first heard About Time, it looks 10+ listenings before I could appreciate all the songs. Its the same thing on this one. The music arrangements are complex and rich with standout work by the whole band - Steve, Jose Neto, Karl, Paul and Richard. The lyrics are very interesting with a spiritual feel.
  
  As in any great album, its hard to single out one song or musician as being the key person - Steve's vocals and hammond organ work, Jose Neto's playful guitar grooves, Karl's incredible percussion, Paul's haunting flute and sax work, and Richard's drum work and Peter's lyrics - a real team effort.
  
  As Steve stated in an inteview, the album came out of music that the band played in their Live sessions and it has that loose and innovative feel to it. I went to all their concerts in SF in 05 and LA in 06 and the live set has the best jamming I've heard in years. I hope Steve's successes inspire his contemporaries to experiment with more collaborative, soulful music instead of chasing radio hits or just playing the old hits.
  
  I'm looking forward to Steve's tour with Tom Petty this summer. You know its a great album when I'm looking forward to hearing the new songs live more than the Traffic classics. Keep the new music coming, Steve and the band and thanks for a great album!
  
  
• They call me mellow yellow
  By A25JH6CO4DVINS on 2008-07-14
  This is another fine piece of work from Steve Winwood, who's unique voice and keyboard playing have blessed the world for over forty years.
  
  After all these years it is difficult for an artist such as he to stir up the emotions of youth but the experience of the years of playing with some of the best in the world shows through.
  
  For me this is a direct descendent from the Traffic years with the jazzy and funky orientated pieces and the homage to Chris Woods with the hauntingly beautiful flute contibutions. I may be reading too much into this by suggesting that this is Winwood's Eulogy to his former bandmates, most of whom are no longer with us.
  
  I particularly enjoyed Hungry Man which could well have been a jam with the Grateful Dead from their second album Anthem of the Sun.
  
  This album grows and grows with repeated playing and at higher volumes and is particularly appropriate in these long hot days of summer here in North carolina. If you liked High heeled Boys or On the Road, then you will like this.
  
  
  
  
• Winwood Reinvents Classic Rock
  By A20UWIUDPMWQCT on 2008-04-29
  As well as pays homage to it in a way that only one of the original maestros of Rock could do! A must Buy for Winwood Fans. This work brings Classic Rock into the 21st Century! I see that working with Eric Clapton for the past year has brought Winwood back to his Blind Faith and Classic Traffic Roots i.e. John Barleycorn era. Many of the chords sound familar, I heard chords from past Traffic works like Empty Pages, Paper Sun and Dear Mr. Fantasy in some of the new tracks, as well as similar chords from Yes's Roundabout on the new tune We're All Looking.
  The collaboration with Clapton on Dirty City not only revisits the Blind Faith (all too brief) era but expands and enhances each artists growth over the last 40 years!
  Hopefully new Rock Artists will listen,learn and move forward into this Expansion of Classic Rock. The door has now been swung open, it is up to the masses to keep it that way. Classic Rock could retake front and center from the long vast wastelands of Pop, amateur contests and Corporate Rock.
  Kudos to Winwood for taking the risk and leaving behind his more recent commercial works like Back in The Highlife Again and Arc of The Diver. Steve is one of the leaders today in rock/jazz, rock/folk and rock/blues. Long Live Rock!
  
  
• Fantastic!
  By ADHBK5A51KG9L on 2008-05-09
  Definitely blues/jazz sound and feel. It is refreshing to hear an artist go back to his early sounds that defined him, when so many seem to want to distance themselves from their early work and sound. I love every track. The music is outstanding throughout, blending great guitar sounds, of course keyboards, along with great drums/percussion intruments, and flutes. The songs sound similar only in that the blues/jazz feel is always there. But each one has its own strenghts and riffs. As has been stated, if you like the pop/rock sound, you might not enjoy it. But this is true musicianship at its finest, and I can't help but tap along and feel a great mood drift down smoothly over me, just like all the sounds on these songs do. This one's on my favorite shelf already.
  
  
• This is Steve Winwood's best work in a long time
  By AE31M52VLKOG6 on 2008-04-30
  I have never heard Steve Winwood like this. "Nine Lives" is an excellent album features nine new tracks from Steve. He sounds great with his band. My favorite track is "Fly". This track is purely instrumental for the first minute and a half and turns into a vocal. This song is so peaceful. Paul Booth is so good on the saxophone and flute here. "Dirty City" is a great rock song. Eric Clapton sounds so good playing the guitar here. "Raging Sea" is a groovy sounding track. I like Jose Neto's bass guitar playing here. "I'm Not Drowning" features Steve on the acoustic guitar. He sounds very bluesy here. "At Times We Do Forget" and "Other Shore" are two songs that feature everyone in Steve's band. Richard Bailey provides an excellent beat on the drums. "Other Shore" is such a relaxing track. Karl Vanden Bossche is a talented percussionist bongo player on the track "Hungry Man". I love this new album from Steve Winwood.
  
  
• Back To What He Does Best
  By A2W3AZJ3NBL0AG on 2008-05-01
  This album is such a welcome arrival into my collection. In a time where there are very few new artists with any...what's the word I'm looking for?...talent?!? And so many of my all time favorites releasing sub-par efforts or simply treading water, it is nice to hear someone remember what got them so far to begin with. No, this album does not break any new ground, but it does sound fresh. It's not just recycled versions of older songs. It is an excellent choice for relaxing on a Sunday afternoon and listening to good music on the living room stereo...you know, like you used to do?
  
  
• The Grand Master Delivers Once Again!
  By AZYD3BG2R4SV8 on 2008-06-05
  Since Steve Winwood was 16 years old and leading Spencer Davis to their chart leading hits, he has always continued to grow. Exploring new musical ventures and teaming up with Super Star performers, many times at their request. Heck, Jimi Hendrix was astonished that he was going to actually have Steve Winwood record on his Historic Electric Ladyland LP!
  Add to this his diversified talents that would draw in Latin Legend Tito Puente and you have a solid idea of just how legendary Steve is.
  Sure, he has changed directions several times, from Spencer Davis and earlier goups to the Jazz influenced Super Group Traffic, to the Mega Star Super Group Blind Faith, to his 1980's top pop chart era where he had several major solo hits and today, his 21st Century rebirth into jazz/Latin/Rock. Listen to his 2003 'About Time' and you will hear Steve's solid Jazz/Latin influence coupled with his 'blue-eyed soul' vocals. Not to mention the sound of his terrific Hammond B3 playing, occassionally taking back seat to his equally great guitar work. Yes, a
  mega star for certain! Now he brings us Nine Lives!
  With Nine Lives, he once again assembles masterful songs, all of which are well arranged and supported with superb musicianship.
  The songs range for rockish 'I'm Not Drowning' and 'Dirty City' (where he invited his close friend Eric Clapton to play with him) to the Latin influenced 'We're All Looking' and 'Hungry Man', and both songs will get you feet moving! There is also the classic Winwood easy-flying type song such as the aptly named 'FLY'.
  Clapton's guitar work on Dirty City is not overwhelming, and that it exactly as it was intended. It's just as it needs to be to make the song work. And that's what top musician's do. In this case very successfully. For the remainding songs of the 9 on this CD you will be equally pleased and will find memorable enough to want the lyrics.
  
  Mr Winwood turned 60 just days ago, but his vocals are as strong and his musical drive just as steady as it was in his earler rock days.
  Do not miss this terrific piece or work. You will play it over and over again! Guaranteed!
  
  Added 6/17/08 - Just Saw Steve at Westbury Music Fair in NY and it was a smash! He played 6 of the 9 songs from 'Nines Lives' along with songs from his 2003 hit 'About Time', Traffic, Blind Faith, his early solo years and nailed them all! If you have the opportunity to see him live, DO NOT miss the chance. He is a most gracious living Legend who loves to entertain us with his musical genius!
  
  
  
• This album is a crashing bore!!!
  By A156HE6ZUSATSE on 2008-06-07
  Like the other reviewers above, I was unimpressed by this album, which just seems like "product." It is frankly boring, with a sameness to the sound of the tracks which nearly put me to sleep. Although Winwood has never been a strong vocalist or lyricist, his efforts here are frankly dull. Is he just riding the little blip in popularity caused by his recent appearances with
  Eric Clapton at MSG??
  
  Save your money; buy the "Blind Faith" album or something else!
  
  Dr. Bob Wesly
  
  
• Winwood just ok!
  By A1RKWWJF4V3T1Z on 2008-07-21
  I have to say I am disappointed with "Nine Lives", Steve Winwood's new release. Being a bass player I don't understand the lack of electric bass on the record. Most of the songs rely on Winwoods keyboard bass support and don't have the weight or feel that a bassist can provide. Also the drum beats are similar and feature too much percussion (congas and such) and not a strong trap set. The songs suffer from the lack of a traditional rhythm section. Steve's voice is fine and he looks from the photo to have aged well. The addition of Eric Clapton on one tune helps, but most of the songs just don't go anywhere, and lack the sound of a real band playing together. Buy the "Crossroads" concert with Steve and Eric and others live, unless you are a die hard Winwood Fan. clench
  
  
• a great album that grows on you each time
  By A19NYVMBRYVFI6 on 2008-04-30
  I bought this album last night and found myself listening to certain tracks and skipping over some.Thats what I do.Although I was concentrating on other things I did manage to get my thoughts together.It opens with a catchy beginning then decends into a more bluesy traffic material.This album was more clearer than Its about Time which was badly produced.Its a TRAFFIC album not the High Life keyboardy songs from the eighties.I love TRAFFIC....This will grow on you.
  
  
• Smooth Jazz Winwood Style
  By A3PQUHZ1ZSMP5J on 2008-04-30
  After 2003 About TimeAbout Time as a HUGE Winwood fan I was ecstatic about his new Jamming direction which he explained in the title
  song "Different Light". His new Album NINE LIVES was billed as a continuation of that style. Although the new Album does not contain the searing Hammond B or Guitar Solos(except Clapton's help on Dirty City), it has a great contemporary smooth jazz style with wide interludes( perhaps too wide on "Hungry Man"). Check out "Fly", "Other Shore", "At Times we do forget and "Raging Sea". As a 60 year old Winwood may be slowing down a bit but he is still Rocking on!!!(Could the same be said for Phil Collins or Billy Joel?)
  
  
• Stevie...you coulda done better
  By A381IWP2RLGDHA on 2008-06-04
  Easy listening album. Underwhelmed by disk, Not much energy. And the track with Clapton? He was grossly underutilized.
  
  
• OK CD but Lacks Passion of Previous Work
  By A13MHLHW5F372W on 2008-06-08
  I am a little disappointed with Steve Winwoods's latest CD "Nine Lives". Sound is OK, vintage Steve Winwood. But after previous "About Time" the new CD seems a little stale. Especially dissapointing is the guest appearance of Eric Clapton- the song is OK but he used too much distortion in the guitar solo. Being a lifelong fan, this certainly won't keep me from checking out Steve's next effort.
  
  
• rock legends
  By A1U3LWEEKCKHGM on 2008-07-04
  Stevie always has nice stuff. Good to hear from him again. Best is song with Clapton.
  
  
• Steve's consistent
  By A3SJ3ZM1YZ3E7S on 2008-07-05
  The more I listen to this the more I like it. Strictly from a fan's point of view, I refuse to be hypercritical. This CD runs the gamut in styles ranging from his Low Spark days to Back In The High Life. Dirty City, predictably, is a great cut with Clapton, but give the rest of it a chance to grow on you. Winwood's genius is still much more than just a flicker.
  
  
• Freedom Overspill.
  By A3AL8GQ69QE7WN on 2008-05-17
  Winwood returns after five years with "Nine Lives". How is it? It's like his days with Traffic, much like his last outing, 2003's "About Time" was. This is Winwood doing Winwood. At 60, Winwood knows his audience, he has his Wincraft label with a distribution deal from Sony/BMG for wider recognition than "About Time" received. Smart business, and Winwood has complete artistic control over his music, something that 1997's "Junction Seven" did not have.
  
  Yet, Winwood seems to be content with the wheel, and not reinventing it. As far as his solo work goes, when artistry meets popularity and sales, that is the definitive moment, and a rare moment in any artist's career. Winwood achieved that with 1980's "Arc Of A Diver", 1986's "Back In The High Life" and 1988's "Roll With It". Definitive solo Winwood albums all.
  
  "Nine Lives" is average Winwood. Not ghastly like "Junction Seven", but nowhere near the caliber of the aforementioned albums. The musicianship, songwriting and production are all pleasant and serviceable. All the right notes are in place, but it feels uninspired somehow. Mellow, rhythmic, well played jazz/latin/blues/r&b. Not very innovative or original when you consider what Winwood has been capable of. Has it been a nice re-visit to Winwood's earlier, organic days both on "Nine Lives" and "About Time"--the answer is yes. But, here's my challenge to Winwood: Mr. Winwood, do you still have the creative juices to make one more shining pop album that's not overburdened like "Refugees Of The Heart" or "Junction Seven", but something inspiring and classic like "High Life" or "Roll With It" or "Arc"? I'd like to see you try something more experimental like "Arc" now, or "High Life" now. I already know that you can do Traffic/Santana easily in your sleep.
  
  So, "Nine Lives". B-/C+, three stars, maybe three and a half. The tracks that stood out to me the most were "I'm Not Drowning", "Raging Sea", "Dirty City" and "Secrets". The album as a whole was good, but nothing overtly memorable or astonishing. I'd rather listen to earlier Winwood, in other words.
  
  So, Steve? Are you going to make that late career defining album? The one that all the critics, fans and non-fans sit up and take notice to? It's been 20 years now. Make us all glad next time.
  
  
• Is He The Comeback Kid?
  By A1K1NMCQ1LHLXT on 2008-05-19
  First, I concur that if your looking for the abject dross that seemed to constitue lil' Stevie Winwood from the disaster of 'Roll With It' up to(but not including) apparently with this ears, 'About Time.' This CD is not for you. On the other hand there are referents to songs nicely buried referring to 'Back In The High Life Again.' I hear them, does anyone else?
  
  I need not recapitulate the history and accomplishment of Mr. Steve Winwood. The corpus of par excellent recordings adequately speaks for itself; At the same time a curious blandess and unfocusedness began with 'Roll With It.' 'Roll With It' was so lame, so bland and so empty of merit that it finally convinced me that Mr. Winwood had finally "lost it."
  
  I have always loved 'Winwood' the currently unhavable first solo album. Had it on vinyl. Miss it now. 'Talking Back To The Night' was okay. 'Back In The High Life Again' was a rather twisted return to form intermingling overt pop with something else.' Arc Of A Diver?' The jury is still out.
  
  Then suddenly 'About Time' came out. Heard something from it and thought? Well, maybe he hasn't actually lost it. Don't have 'About Time.' On order.
  The entire catalog of Traffic has been remastered. And the excellent 'Last Traffic Jam' has been released. All of which I have summarily noted.
  
  Now, Nine Lives has been released. It's not a Winwood bland "Sellout." See 'Roll With It.' Rather it is something akin to Traffic and his first album with kudos referents thrown to 'Back In The Highlife Again.'
  
  Any Winwood fan already has heard "Dirty City." The big question is whether this album can stand the test of time like the solo 'Winwood' or the timeless Traffic releases?
  
  I'd say definitely, yes. Despite the more cynical reviews above; I think that this is a singular forward movement and yet a throwback to the jazz/blues/rhythm era of Winwood development. For those wide eyed cynics I say: Hell what do you want him to do? Reinvent the wheel?
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
• Dynamic
  By A1UWMAJYR3PZ8D on 2008-05-24
  This new CD from Steve Winwood is refreshing and dynamic. I find it more inspiring than some of his previous works. Winwood takes a tune and with his velvety and heartfelt voice adds soulful excitement to it. If you don't know or like blues or jazz, even rock music, you may begin to appreciate them after listening him. This CD comes with amazing clarity and transparency. You feel like clapping with him, or if you play any instrument you can be tempted to grab it and play with him. It is inviting, presented in open space, a clean and very uplifting music.
  
  
• An Old 60's Fan
  By A11M0G762OKA11 on 2008-05-25
  I have been a fan of Steve Winwood since the 60's when I followed his career with The Spencer Davis Group, Traffic and Blind Faith. The changes reflect his creativity, his musicianship, his artistry.
  
  This CD is incredible. There are elements of jazz, blues, and a little pop. I enjoy every song, and each one is a positive experience. The lyrics are thought provoking, and the music is soothing and moving. I am glad that I have this recording in my collection.
  
  
• Perfect and timeless
  By A2JTJNX37EOWVD on 2008-06-01
  I first heard of Steve Winwood in the 80's while still in high school. He had a few hits during that time that made there way into the pops charts when videos were becoming increasingly popular and better made. I had no idea that it would take me another 20+ years before I'd actually purchase an album of his and fall in love with his perfect pitch voice and the seemingly endless array of genres of music he can play. I downloaded the music after hearing 'Dirty City' played on the morning news on the release date. It caught my attention and did not let go. After reviewing the other samples I immediately purchased the entire album. From beginning to end you will enjoy this 9 song collection. From the acoustic 'I'm Not Drowning' through the funk & jazz inspired 'Hungry Man' to the gospel-organ tinged 'At Times We Do Forget' I was completely thrilled with this album.
  
  I am someone who will rock out with Jay-Z or Linkin Park, listen to Nine Inch Nails, Celine and Mariah Carey. But every now and then I will want to relax and get a dose of Steve and his silky voice. A true music fan of any kind will enjoy this album. Don't limit yourselves. You will also hear Brazil and African drum influences as well. With a great sound system you hear and feel so many colors in this music, I don't see how you can't...
  
  
• Very good Winwood.
  By A26C0V12HNJN63 on 2008-06-03
  As other reviewers before me had said this record needs to be listened to a few times to really appreciate it. Yesterday I had a long listening session that included "Kind of Blue", Clapton's "Journeyman", Duke Ellingtons greatest hits, and "Nine Lives". This CD held it's own with this group. Some really good songs with interesting arrangements and some very nice guitar work by Jose Neto. He's a good riffer, I wish he would have soloed a bit more. But, that's just the old jazz guitarist talking. Even my Maine Coon cat liked it! And he's critical.....
  
  
• He's back!!
  By A3MXVH9QMJGIFQ on 2008-06-03
  Hi. I've been a fan of Steve Winwood's since I was 8 or 9. The Spencer Davis Group was one of the first albums I ever bought.
  I LOVED Traffic; loved Blind Faith...
  After that he seemed to lose his way. It seemed that he had "devolved" to utilizing the "flavor of the month" (musical) philosophy .
  Now, before all you folks who loved "Arc of the Diver" go nuts on me, it just wasn't the gritty Steve Winwood I'd come to love. It was synths that (now) seem terribly dated in the voices that were used ( as is much of the music from the 80's), and his style- his persona was submerged or hidden by all this..."stuff".
  Now, he's found his way back! This album is wonderful! Note: I've given 4 rather than 5 stars only because the writing on a couple of songs in the middle of the CD are not his best...But they still very VERY good! It's gritty, and mature and pure Winwood!
  I hadn't realized just how much I'd missed his sound, his soul, his ideas!
  This is a WONDERFUL Re-INTRODUCTION to a seminal artist & I recommend this to anyone who is looking for real, soulful tunes that harken back to his best days, his best musical endeavours!
  Buy it! You won't be sorry!
  
  
• Full Circle
  By A2I02E69QIER18 on 2008-06-07
  Some reviewers have said that if you like Traffic and Blind Faith, you'll like this. That's true, but I find Steve Winwood's new album to be much more complicated than that. It does have Traffic and Blind Faith moments, but they are moments in a much bigger picture. There are ghosts from his entire career here along with fresh new work as well. I find the title very fitting. All his past lives are represented along with his new 9th life. Almost every song is different; mood, instruments, etc.. which I find very refreshing for someone at this point of his career. AND his voice is right there! Amazingly it's held up INCREDIBLY well!! Unfortunately that's not always the case. He sounds great. Out of the nine songs on this CD there are two I don't love. That's why I give it four stars instead of five. If you truly like Steve Winwood, you'll like this!
  
  

• Mudcrutch
• Keep It Simple
• Accelerate
• All I Intended to Be
• Viva La Vida