It can well be a symptom of British new-wave veterans THE FIXX still going strong that their original guitarist Jamie West-Oram has finally decided to deliver a solo album. Having joined the band in 1980 after a spell with Philip Rambow, West-Oram stayed an integral part of their line-up for all these years, and the ensemble’s latest offering, 2022’s “Every Five Seconds” – their first since “Beautiful Friction” from 2012 – featured a lot of his hooks. Yet there’s much more on “Skeleton Key” which will be out on August 18th.
From the Leslie West-inspired “Knuckle Down” (listen to this platter opener below) onward, the record is a great display of Jamie’s multifaceted chops, what with him playing all the instruments bar drums and handling all the vocals. If there’s a way to debut on one’s one terms at the age of 69, this is it.
1. Knuckle Down
2. Claustrophobia
3. Cuckoos In The Nest
4. Endless Possession
5. Life Support
6. Collusion Blues
7. Split Me In Two
8. Sharp Edge 2
9. Forging The Key
10. Turning The Key