Consumer Guide Album

Howard Jones: Human's Lib [Elektra, 1984]
"The cynical few," by which Howard appears to mean people who can think, will detect in the very title of this revolving self-help manual a hint of what the German cynic Nietzsche called ressentiment. No special interests here, folks, because all of us--male and female, rich and poor, white and other, top of the pops and glued to the telly--are in the same human boat. You think you have problems, even enemies? Think again: "And if they were not meant to be/Well don't you think they wouldn't be"? Howard's music, up-to-date synthpopbeat featuring a human voice that may well belong to Howard himself, reflects his acceptance of the known world by adding not a thing to it. Here's hoping he changes his head sometime soon--he sure could use a new one. C-