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Jack Bruce - Willpower: A Twenty-Year Retrospective

Track listing:
  1. Willpower 4:18
  2. As You Said 4:21
  3. White Room 5:01
  4. Rope Ladder To The Moon 2:53
  5. Theme For An Imaginary Western 3:28
  6. Never Tell Your Mother She's Out Of Tune 3:40
  7. Can You Follow? 1:31
  8. Morning Story 4:55
  9. Folk Song 4:17
  10. Keep It Down 3:45
  11. Pieces Of Mind 5:40
  12. Without A Word 5:21
  13. How's Tricks 4:12
  14. Jet Set Jewel 5:22
  15. Mickey the Fiddler 5:24
  16. The Best Is Still To Come 4:11
  17. Ships In The Night 5:15

Notes


Willpower was really designed to be Jack Bruce's Crossroads — it followed Clapton's monumental box by a year, had similar artwork, a similar approach that blended selections from throughout his various projects, and the same remastering/production team. Thing is, Bruce didn't have the commercial success of Clapton, nor did he have the same sizable following (although his fans were indeed devoted), and critics just sorta gave up paying attention around 1970, so there wasn't much of an audience for Willpower upon its release in 1989. Nevertheless, it's a pretty terrific summary of Bruce's career, never staying too long in one particular period (even the selections from Cream lack such heavy hitters as "Sunshine of Your Love" or "I Feel Free"), and encapsulating how unpredictable and adventurous Bruce's career has been. This is not heavy on hits, even if it has such signature songs as "White Room," "Theme for an Imaginary Western," "Never Tell Your Mother She's Out of Tune," "How's Tricks," and "As You Said," because Bruce never had that many hits, even radio hits. But it does provide a through, representative introduction.