Settle down (Steve Forbert) (LP 2565 - 2568)

Steve Forbert  Alive On Arrival (Vinyl, Nemperor Records, 1978) ****  

Steve Forbert  Jackrabbit Slim (Vinyl, Nemperor Records, 1979) *** 

Steve Forbert  Little Stevie Orbit (Vinyl, Nemperor Records, 1980) **** 

Steve Forbert  Steve Forbert (Vinyl, Nemperor Records, 1982) ***  

Genre: Pop rock 

Places I remember: Real Groovy Records, Slow Boat Records

Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles: Get Well Soon (Little Stevie Orbit)

Gear costume: Cellophane City (Little Stevie Orbit)  

Active compensatory factors: Full disclosure - I am not the world's greatest Steve Forbert fan. Ask my mate, Greg Knowles!

Steve recorded all of his first four albums for Nemperor Records and I collect Nemperor Records. So, I own all four - even though I am not the world's greatest Steve Forbert fan.

But, I've decided to give him a fair go and embark on a reassessment. 

First album - Alive On Arrival is a strong debut. It's actually pretty good and makes me wonder what my problem is.

Then I listened again to Jackrabbit Slim and I realised a couple of things. I heard this one first back in 1979 because of the hit - Romeo's Tune and it turned me off him. The vocal quirks are more accentuated on that album.

Whereas, if I'd heard any of the other 3 in this list I could have actually been a fan. They each contain the kind of enjoyable, tuneful, articulate folk/pop songs that I was into at the time.

Little Stevie Orbit would be my favourite album of these four. He seems to be in full control of his talent on this one. 

Where do they all belong? That will do it for Steve, snuggled into the Nemperor Records collection.