16092014 - John Waite "Mask of Smiles"

Is John Waite the king of AOR? What other solo artist even gets close? Just the fact that he wrote "Missing You" is testament to his greatness, but "Every Step of the Way", the album opener and first single off his 1985 album and follow up to "No Brakes" (the one with "Missing You"), "Mask of Smiles" is almost just as brilliant. Most of these songs are equally glimmering gems, but the one he didn't write himself, a totally redundant version of the soul hit "Ain't That Peculiar", should have been left off completely. Actually, it's worth hearing just for the sniggers you get when you realize the opening bars are identical to "Macarena" by Los Del Rio. Or rather the other way around, since that single came 10 years later. Apart from that hiccup of a song, this is flawless AOR with Waite's vocal delivery constantly filled with all the emotion and honesty you could ask for. Personally I also really enjoy the fact that this album closes with what would have been the title track of the previous album, "No Brakes", especially since it's another excellent track and the perfect way to end this record.