Midge Ure has had more than his five minutes of fame. A Top Ten hit with New Romantic outfit Visage's 'Fade To Grey' in 1980. A Number Two with synth-popsters Ultravox's 'Vienna' the following year. Co-organiser of a small charity event called Band Aid in 1985. All that and he's even notched up solo hits - '82's 'No Regrets' made it to Number Nine, '85's 'If I Was' topped the charts.
Nope, our Midge certainly can't be ranked as one of pop's underachievers. Thoroughly likable, decent geezer too. And the way he's steadfastly clung to those sideburns for the last twenty years is admirable. So why doesn't he just bow out gracefully, occasionally popping up to appear on Never Mind The Buzzcocks or some I Love The '80s documentary?
The question is only partly answered on 'Move Me', Ure's first album of new material since 1996's 'Breathe'. For it would seem that Midge still needs to write songs and he still needs us to hear them. And at times he does have a point. Because while a good deal of 'Move Me' borders on shiny, bland, Eighties sounding soft rock, there's enough here to suggest that Midge's muse is still very much alive, though perhaps feeling a tad peaky.
The epic cinematic feel and gospel choir backing of 'Beneath A Spielberg Sky' is tainted slightly by a naff title and an even more naff cheesy rock guitar solo. 'Strong' sounds strangely like a Eighties stadium rock take on Radiohead's more reflective moments and 'Alone' has its robust riffing and rock swagger.
'Monster' is an ominous, rumbling, metal-riffed instrumental which sounds like session musicians having a jam while they're waiting for someone to come back from the loo, 'Absolution Sometime' is a hugely rousing anthem and the stark 'The Refugee Song' is a touching, melodic, mid-tempo show of compassion.
There's plenty on 'Move Me' to keep the devout Ure fan happy but for the uninitiated there's not much in the way of hugely poppy or memorable radio-friendly tracks to grab your attention. That said, the pared down, semi-acoustic bonus radio session renditions of 'You Move Me' and 'Alone' are the most passionate, powerful songs here. So, perhaps if Midge had ditched the flashy production he would have had a far better album.
