Robert Palmer’s transition from blue-eyed soul singer to New Wave artist was just getting started on Clues, and the album as a whole sits in this distinctly 80’s space of being multiple things all at once. You have the old-school Rolling Stones esque classic rock thump of “Sulky Girl” sandwiched in between the synth pop driven New Wave electronica of “Looking For Clues” and “Johnny And Mary” to start the album, showcasing Palmer’s range of sonic influences, like Talking Heads decided to write a hard rock album, trade in the drum set for electronic drums, load up synthesizers, and strip down the production. Clues is at its best when it focuses on evoking a feeling vs. telling a coherent story– when you get into the meat of the album and find yourself listening to “Woke Up Laughing” you’ll understand exactly what I mean.
Standout Songs: “Sulky Girl”, “Johnny And Mary”, “Woke Up Laughing”
