Mark Andrews and the Gents

  • Mark Andrews and the Gents
  • Big Boy (A&M) 1980 

Keyboardist Andrews was Joe Jackson’s bandmate in Arms & Legs during the latter’s formative years in Portsmouth, England. Funnily enough, shortly after Jackson’s initial success, Andrews wound up on the same label, playing a not terribly dissimilar style of music; unfortunately for him, he’s not Jackson’s equal as a singer or songwriter. Some may find that Big Boy (produced by Advertising’s Simon Boswell) shares many attributes with Jackson’s Look Sharp, though others may wonder why Andrews bothered, since he offers nothing new, except a slow, reggae-tinged version of “Born to Be Wild.”

[Dave Schulps]