My Ever Changing Moods (1984)

"My Ever Changing Moods," The Style Council (1984)

Ah, The Style Council. So reviled, so flawed, and yet, so magical. Post-Jam Paul Weller and keyboard wizard extraordinaire Mick Talbot gave us years of uber-eclectic sophistipop that, for some reason, many detest. Perhaps its the polished nature of the work, or maybe its the erratic quality. Despite its overreaching and imperfections, the outfit managed to knock out some riveting music.

Following up on their first EP, the band released their first album, Café Bleu. But, sadly, Café Bleu did not land on American shores. Instead, we belatedly received "My Ever Changing Moods." In effect, its the same album, but with heavy modifications. For one thing, we lose the original version of "My Ever Changing Moods" and receive the (admittedly peppier) 12" version of the track. In addition, we lose out on two tracks found in the UK equivalent: "Me Ship Came In!" and "Council Meetin'" are missing in action. Furthermore, the running order was tampered with.

It's still a bloody good listen, and it demonstrates the breadth of this group. There's soul, pop, hard bop jazz, lounge, 80s fare, gospel, rap, and funk, among other things. It's wide-reaching, its all over the place, and its a great piece of work.

Unfortunately, the American version of the album never appeared on CD. By the time the compact disc issue of the album popped up, we Yanks also received Café Bleu. As such, I present to you all the long-lost original LP version of TSC's debut. Enjoy.

1. My Ever Changing Moods
2. The Whole Point of No Return
3. Blue Café
4. The Paris Match
5. Dropping Bombs on the Whitehouse
6. A Solid Bond in Your Heart
7. You're The Best Thing
8. A Gospel
9. Strength of Your Nature
10. Here's The One That Got Away
11. Headstart for Happiness
12. Mick's Blessings


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