Rocking Retro: Robert Palmer
I learned how to use my dad’s now-primitive CD player by age 3, and I proceeded to go through his somewhat modest collection, picking out my early favorites, music that would end up sticking with me for the rest of my life. I first discovered my personal favorites Dwight Yoakam and the Beatles doing this activity, and that is how I discovered Robert Palmer.
Turns out Palmer was quite a talent, a diverse songwriter and performer who is more known for his 80’s pop stint than his interesting back catalog, consisting of everything from jazz-influenced music to standards to straight-up 80’s electronic tunes. And let’s not forget the great hits he penned for Power Station.
Of course, at age 3, I didn’t really care about any of this; all I was into was his two biggest albums, the ones my dad had a copy of. I’m, of course, referring to Riptide (1985) and Heavy Nova (1988).
Check a sampling of tunes from both albums after the jump, and enjoy expert 80’s pop craftmanship from a gifted, multi-talented, and, today, under-appreciated, musician.
