Anchor 1976 / Think Like A Key 2025
Arrestingly modest offering from a stalwart of English melodic rock – given an anniversary shine destined to bring out the record’s soft colors.
John Weider
As his impeccable pedigree, forged via stints with THE NEW ANIMALS and FAMILY, suggested, John Weider could deal in any style, but when the time came to be penning songs, the British musician favored country rock, and couple of sojourns in Laurel Canyon established his credentials in this regard, as the multi-instrumentalist strengthened his grip on breezy tunes during his spells in STUD and MOONRIDER. That’s what Weider seemingly set off to pursue on his self-titled longplay, yet John’s solo debut has so much more going on across its ten pieces driven, first and foremost, by pop engine he fueled with a lot of élan, although elements of other genres are present here too. Tasty to a tentative-hit extent and performed on the level the artist and his friends, such as Charlies Whitney and McCracken, always guaranteed, “John Weider” didn’t bite into the charts simply because the record label failed to properly back it.
Yes, he wasn’t the greatest vocalist in the world, but the warmth John’s voice and acoustic guitar project on highly memorable, strings-drenched opener “Promises” – which wouldn’t feel out of place on a McCartney platter – and on the reprise of “I Found Love” from the "Moonrider" album should make up for any deficiency the listener may be willing to detect here. While one can smell a whiff of prairie air on the honeyed “Say So” and “Distance” with their electric harmonies, and “What You Want” offers a typical ’70s sweetness as well, the upbeat “Ambush Alice” harks back to the ’60s whimsy, and the handclaps-helped “Don’t Give Up On Me” spectacularly falls into the middle-of-the-road category, a brief rumble Weider’s bass upping the latter cut’s well-concealed drama. However, whereas the completely unplugged, Segovia-evoking “Prelude II” demonstrates his exquisite approach to classical idiom, the relentlessly optimistic “Never Give Up On Love” adds cosmic vigor to the record’s overall sonic palette, before the elegantly rocking “Poor Boy” wraps things up by showing John Weider’s impressive handling of sharp riffs that support his soulful vocals.
Still, the album vanished into obscurity, and it wouldn’t be until 1987 that this musician resumed his solo career with three non-song-based records, and it wasn’t until after he passed away in 2025 that “John Weider” saw a proper reissue it deserved. A genuine gem.
*****
