- Jim Capaldi was the drummer and founder of progressive/psychedelic band Traffic. When the band split in the early 1970s, he launched his solo career. In 1977, he released his fourth album, The Contender, and his first for Polydor. It’s a quite varied listen, and it’s rather obvious attempt at a contemporary commercial record, though his guitarist Pete Bonas denies it.
The Contender sounds great; it’s a well-recorded, well-arranged record. Capaldi and his band tackle numerous genres of music throughout. The album starts with the hard-rock swagger of opening number “Dirty Business” and then visits lush ballads (“Game Of Love,” “The Contender”), LA singer/songwriter rock (“Hunger and Greed”), and R&B (“I’m Gonna Do It”). There’s not a song on The Contender that isn’t enjoyable, and it’s obvious that Capaldi is a master arranger and singer, adept at handling a wide and varied range.
[*] A1 Dirty Business 2:35
[*]A2 Sealed With a Kiss 3:15
[*]A3 Daughter of the Night 3:15
[*]A4 You Burn Me 4:32
[*]A5 Game of Love 4:55
[*]B1 The Contender 5:48
[*]B2 Elixir of Life 5:10
[*]B3 Short Ends 3:42
[*]B4 Hunger and Greed 3:10
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