Plan B
Most artists who show up on Behind the Music have a tragic tale to tell, whether it’s drug addiction, the death of a loved one, or a bitter falling out between longtime bandmates. Not Huey Lewis the News — the one time they faced tragedy is when they thought Ray Parker Jr. ripped off “I Want a New Drug” for his theme to Ghostbusters. Apart from that, everything’s been pretty great, because they’re a bar band (if they’d been from England, you’d call ‘em pub rock) that made good and they’ve always been grateful for their success. When the hits stopped coming sometime during the first Bush administration, they graciously stepped back from the spotlight; during the ’90s, they only released one new album, and that was just a covers record. Ten years later, they finally reemerged with Plan B, a record of original material (barring a cover of one of Nick Lowe’s best songs, “When I Write the Book”) that helped showcase their new, expanded lineup with a full horn section. Some bands might verge on bloat with a new horn section, but not the News — it just emphasizes that Plan B is a return to their roots, a lean, soul-inflected, driving rock roll record. And that “Plan B” in the title certainly alludes to the bandmembers’ decision to give up any hopes of chart success in favor of just making a record of music they like, and the gambit pays back better than anyone could have hoped. This is an unpretentious, utterly likeable record, filled with clever, catchy songs that would sound great in a packed club on a Friday night. And these are good songs, songs that could hold their own with “Workin’ for a Livin’,” “Hope You Love Me Like You Say You Do,” and “Some of My Lies Are True” — they’re nearly as memorable and melodic, and easily as fun. It’s true that part of the pleasure of Huey Lewis the News’ first three albums was how the records straddled the line between pub rock classicism and post-new wave modernity, and that sound is nowhere to be found here. But the music itself is first-rate, whether it’s on the opening track, “We’re Not Here for a Long Time (We’re Here for a Good Time)” — which trumps “Couple Days Off” with its casual honesty — or on the middle-age love duet “I’m Not in Love Yet,” which finds Huey and Wynonna trading lines in an absolutely alluring fashion. There’s nothing fancy here; as a matter of fact, it’s disarming, refreshingly unpretentious, and all the better for it. Even better, this is the first Huey Lewis the News record that sounds like a Huey Lewis the News record in ten years, and it’s their best since at least Fore, probably Sports. There’s not a chance in hell that it’ll burn up the charts like those records, but it’s certainly one of their best albums.
- Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide
Product Specification :
Release Date :09/10/2007
Format :Audio CD
UPC :012414176721
Label :Jive
List Price :13.98
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March 6th, 2010 at 10:57 am
Huey Lewis And The News enter the 2000's with this new album.
Some of the songs here are on the sad side, so one has to wonder what has gone on in the lives of the band while writing this album.
It's a good album, but it's missing something.
The smash We're Not Here For A Long Time (We're Here For A Good Time) sums up just what rock'n'roll is supposed to be.
Pro : A NEW album from Huey Lewis And The News
Con : Some really sad songs on this one
March 6th, 2010 at 11:11 am
You would really have to be a musical illiterate to trash Huey Lewis & The News. Unfortunately there are a lot of “you” out there now days. I’m happy to say I own all of their albums and their music and lyrics are great. I feel sorry for all of you that don’t know any better. I don’t have this album yet, although, I’ve heard some of it and it sounds great. I’m purchasing it as soon as I finish this posting. Finally, those of you trashing HLN…give it up! You don’t know what the heck you’re talking about!
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March 6th, 2010 at 11:17 am
IVE BEEN A HLN FAN SINCE THEY STARTED AND EVEN SEEN THEM IN CONCERT,GREAT SHOW I WOULD SEE THEM OVER AND OVER AGAIN. I STILL LISTEN TO ALL OF THERE OLD SONGS. HE ALSO HAS A GREAT BAND TO BACK HIM UP.
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March 6th, 2010 at 11:54 am
I have to admit this is one of the better HLN CD’s I have heard …. its easy to tell they spent alot of time making this a great sounding CD. I would highly reccomend this.
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March 6th, 2010 at 12:25 pm
I just listened to it. It really ain’t bad. It’s a nice easy listening album. Some songs suck, but most of it’s very listenable. I doubt they get any hits off of it, but they should sell some CD’s and gain some respect. It really isn’t a bad album. Very bluesy, in a Huey-ish sort of way.
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March 6th, 2010 at 12:30 pm
I find it amusing that Huey Lewis and the News could incite a string of messages like this and have people taking shots at other and insulting whole generations. We’re talking about Huey Lewis and the News here. I used to be a huge Huey Lewis fan when I was about five or six. I had the Fore! and Sports tapes and played them practically non-stop. I actually just saw them in concert again last night and they sounded all right. But hey, this is Huey Lewis. “Is the new album good?” “Is it more of an experimental R&B type sound or is it true, gritty rock ‘n’ roll?” “You’re not a real ‘Huey’ fan, damnit!” Listen to yourselves! Huey Lewis! Who cares? The words ‘controversy,’ ‘Huey,’ and ‘Lewis’ rarely ever appear in the same sentence unless they’re followed by fits of laughter. Even VH1 couldn’t find any controversy in Huey Lewis when they did their behind the music. He’ll always just be Huey Lewis. Not a sell-out, not spectacular; forever just somewhere between “eh” and “meh” on the goodness scale. In fact, I deserve to be made fun of for even bothering to write this review. Huey Lewis.
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March 6th, 2010 at 1:14 pm
I read these posts to see whether this was new material or a re-issue. I’m pleased to find it is new. I noticed on a few of their previous releases that Huey was a good harmonica player and wondered whether he plays on any of the new tunes.
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March 6th, 2010 at 1:53 pm
Huey Lewis is worth waiting years for. His music is still loved by many fans. My husband and I both were young teens when he was very much adored by the majority, and for true fans of his excellent lyrics & sound…He will always be a great musician…
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March 6th, 2010 at 2:30 pm
Jake “you ignorant slut”! The correct spelling is B E A T L E S! Come on kid, it’s not spelled with “EE”!! Also, Einstein, using your assumption that the average BEATLE fan is thirty doesn’t quite work. Your math would have those fans born in 1971! You missed it by about 7 years! I suppose I shouldn’t be so harsh but the older we Boomers get, the more we are offened by the stupidity of the Young Turks that we are going to have to depend on to provide us our music and healthcare.
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March 6th, 2010 at 3:19 pm
Don’t let the old farts get to you. Somewhere in their warped minds, I guess they feel that you had to listen to their very first album to be able to be a fan of HLN. Just because they are too stupid to know what the word “lambast” means, doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t use it.
Now, as for the new CD. It is good, but then again, all of the HLN CD’s and albums have been good. They are a good solid band and keep getting better. Note that they don’t bend to todays music rules, but keep putting out the kind of music that made them what they are, and not selling out like so many other artists.
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