Album Review: Mike & The Mechanics - Living Years (25th Anniversary Deluxe Edition)

A collective led but not fronted by Mike Rutherford (aka The Beardy One From Genesis), Mike & The Mechanics enjoyed moderate success pumping out soundtracks to shaving commercials seen in Baywatch's ad-breaks. The title track – a regret filled tribute to not reconciling with dad before he died – still manages to wring tears from Mount Rushmore and Nobody Knows is more soothing after-balm to Beautiful Day's 'close as a blade or your money back'. The bonus disc captures the band in cleanly reproduced live form. Disturbingly, it sounds very John Farnham.