The Finer Things (Steve Winwood album)
| The Finer Things | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Box set by | ||||
| Released | 21 March 1995 | |||
| Recorded | 1964–1990 | |||
| Genre | Blue-eyed soul Rock Blues-rock Psychedelic rock Jazz | |||
| Label | Island | |||
| Steve Winwood chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic | [1] |
| Pottsville Republican | (favourable)[2] |
| The Plain Dealer | (favourable)[3] |
| The Guardian | [4] |
| The Birmingham Post | (favourable)[5] |
| Stafford Post | [6] |
| The Mail | [7] |
| Los Angeles Times | [8] |
| MusicHound Rock | [9] |
The Finer Things is a box set of recordings by Steve Winwood. It includes songs from his early days with The Spencer Davis Group through Traffic, Blind Faith and into his solo career.[10][11]
Background
The Finer Things was compiled by Peter Levinson, who at the time of its release was manager of catalogue development for PolyGram Records.[12] Levinson said that he modelled the box set after Eric Clapton's Crossroads, which had been released in 1988.[12] Island Records vice-president of marketing Matt Stringer, upon the box set's release, said that
We evaluate our catalog on a periodic basis to identify anything that is legitimately of value to the consumer and can be presented in a new or impressive or significant way, and this [The Finer Things] was certainly one of the projects that deserved to exist.[13]
Winwood himself would take no part in the release or promotion of The Finer Things,[12] with most of the liner notes based upon interviews with his Traffic-era producer Jimmy Miller. It is believed Winwood did approve of the project and that he spent the eight months before its release approving every step of its compiling.[14]
Because the project was compiled before the release of Winwood's then-latest recording, Traffic's 1994 comeback album Far from Home, no songs from that album were included and the most recent recording dates from 1990. There were only a few rarities contained within the four discs of the box set – the most significant being two tracks from the "Eric Clapton and the Powerhouse" project from 1966.[13]
Track listing
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Originally released | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Dimples" (Spencer Davis Group) | James Bracken/John Lee Hooker | Their First LP (1965) | 2:19 |
| 2. | "I Can't Stand It" (Spencer Davis Group) | Steve McAllister | Their First LP (1965) | 2:08 |
| 3. | "Every Little Bit Hurts" (Spencer Davis Group) | Ed Cobb | Their First LP (1965) | 3:29 |
| 4. | "Strong Love" (Spencer Davis Group) | Mary Brown/Deadric Malone/Ed Silvers | non-album single (1965) | 2:13 |
| 5. | "Keep On Running" (Spencer Davis Group) | Jackie Edwards | The Second Album (1966) | 2:45 |
| 6. | "Somebody Help Me" (Spencer Davis Group) | Jackie Edwards | The Second Album (1966) | 2:01 |
| 7. | "When I Come Home" (Spencer Davis Group) | Jackie Edwards/Scott McKnight/Steve Winwood | Gimme Some Lovin' (1967) | 1:57 |
| 8. | "I Want to Know" (Eric Clapton and the Powerhouse) | Traditional | What's Shakin' (1966) | 2:14 |
| 9. | "Crossroads" (Eric Clapton and the Powerhouse) | Robert Johnson | What's Shakin (1966) | 2:16 |
| 10. | "Gimme Some Lovin" (Spencer Davis Group) | Spencer Davis/Muff Winwood/Steve Winwood | Gimme Some Lovin' (1967) | 2:56 |
| 11. | "I'm a Man" (Spencer Davis Group) | Steve Winwood/Jimmy Miller | Gimme Some Lovin' (1967) | 2:55 |
| 12. | "Paper Sun" (Traffic) | Steve Winwood/Jim Capaldi | Mr. Fantasy (1967)[A] | 4:14 |
| 13. | "Dealer" (Traffic) | Steve Winwood/Jim Capaldi | Mr. Fantasy (1967) | 3:11 |
| 14. | "Coloured Rain" (Traffic) | Steve Winwood/Jim Capaldi/Chris Wood | Mr. Fantasy (1967) | 2:42 |
| 15. | "No Face, No Name, No Number" (Traffic) | Steve Winwood/Jim Capaldi | Mr. Fantasy (1967) | 3:32 |
| 16. | "Heaven Is in Your Mind" (Traffic) | Steve Winwood/Jim Capaldi/Chris Wood | Mr. Fantasy (1967) | 4:16 |
| 17. | "Smiling Phases" (Traffic) | Steve Winwood/Jim Capaldi/Chris Wood | Mr. Fantasy (1967) | 2:40 |
| 18. | "Dear Mr. Fantasy" (Traffic) | Steve Winwood/Jim Capaldi/Chris Wood | Mr. Fantasy (1967) | 5:38 |
| 19. | "Pearly Queen" (Traffic) | Steve Winwood/Jim Capaldi | Traffic (1968) | 4:18 |
| 20. | "(Roamin' Thro' the Gloamin' With) 40,000 Headman" (Traffic) | Steve Winwood/Jim Capaldi | Traffic (1968) | 3:13 |
| 21. | "No Time to Live" (Traffic) | Steve Winwood/Jim Capaldi | Traffic (1968) | 5:19 |
| 22. | "Shanghai Noodle Factory" (Traffic) | Steve Winwood/Jim Capaldi/Chris Wood/Jimmy Miller/Larry Fallon | B-side of "Medicated Goo" single[B] | 5:03 |
| 23. | "Medicated Goo" (Traffic) | Steve Winwood/Jimmy Miller | A-side of 1968 single[B] | 3:34 |
| 24. | "Withering Tree" (Traffic) | Steve Winwood/Jim Capaldi | B-side of "Feelin' Alright?" single (1968)[B] | 3:03 |
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Originally released | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Had to Cry Today" (Blind Faith) | Steve Winwood | Blind Faith (1969) | 8:47 |
| 2. | "Can't Find My Way Home" (Blind Faith) | Steve Winwood | Blind Faith (1969) | 5:40 |
| 3. | "Sea of Joy" (Blind Faith) | Steve Winwood | Blind Faith (1969) | 5:22 |
| 4. | "Sleeping in the Ground [Live]" (Blind Faith) | Sam Myers | Previously unreleased[C] | 4:33 |
| 5. | "Under My Thumb [Live]" (Blind Faith) | Mick Jagger/Keith Richards | Previously unreleased[C] | 5:48 |
| 6. | "Stranger to Himself" (Traffic) | Steve Winwood/Jim Capaldi | John Barleycorn Must Die (1970) | 3:52 |
| 7. | "John Barleycorn" (Traffic) | Traditional/Steve Winwood | John Barleycorn Must Die (1970) | 6:22 |
| 8. | "Glad" (Traffic) | Steve Winwood | John Barleycorn Must Die (1970) | 6:58 |
| 9. | "Freedom Rider" (Traffic) | Steve Winwood/Jim Capaldi | John Barleycorn Must Die (1970) | 5:26 |
| 10. | "Empty Pages" (Traffic) | Steve Winwood/Jim Capaldi | John Barleycorn Must Die (1970) | 4:33 |
| 11. | "The Low Spark of High Heeled Boys" (Traffic) | Steve Winwood/Jim Capaldi | The Low Spark of High Heeled Boys (1971) | 11:51 |
| 12. | "Rainmaker" (Traffic) | Steve Winwood/Jim Capaldi | The Low Spark of High Heeled Boys (1971) | 7:51 |
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Originally released | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Shoot Out at Fantasy Factory" (Traffic) | Steve Winwood/Jim Capaldi | Shoot Out at the Fantasy Factory (1973) | 6:00 |
| 2. | "(Sometimes I Feel So) Uninspired [Live]" (Traffic) | Steve Winwood/Jim Capaldi | Shoot Out at the Fantasy Factory (1973) | 10:30 |
| 3. | "Happy Vibes" (Steve Winwood, Remi Kabaka and Abdul Lasisi Amao) | Remi Kabaka | Previously unreleased | 4:53 |
| 4. | "Something New" (Traffic) | Steve Winwood/Jim Capaldi/Pat DiNizio | When the Eagle Flies (1974) | 3:15 |
| 5. | "Dream Gerrard" (Traffic) | Steve Winwood/Vivian Stanshall | When the Eagle Flies (1974) | 11:01 |
| 6. | "Walking in the Wind" (Traffic) | Steve Winwood/Jim Capaldi | When the Eagle Flies (1974) | 6:53 |
| 7. | "When the Eagle Flies" (Traffic) | Steve Winwood/Jim Capaldi | When the Eagle Flies (1974) | 4:24 |
| 8. | "Winner/Loser" (Stomu Yamashta's Go) | Steve Winwood | Go (1976) | 4:17 |
| 9. | "Crossing the Line [Live]" (Stomu Yamashta's Go) | Michael Quartermain/Stomu Yamashta | Go Live from Paris (1976) | 7:46 |
| 10. | "Hold On" | Steve Winwood/Jim Capaldi | Steve Winwood (1977) | 4:31 |
| 11. | "Time Is Running Out" | Steve Winwood/Jim Capaldi | Steve Winwood (1977) | 6:38 |
| 12. | "Vacant Chair" | Steve Winwood/Vivian Stanshall | Steve Winwood (1977) | 6:55 |
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Originally released | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "While You See a Chance" | Steve Winwood/Will Jennings | Arc of a Diver (1980) | 5:15 |
| 2. | "Arc of a Diver" | Steve Winwood/Vivian Stanshall | Arc of a Diver (1980) | 5:27 |
| 3. | "Spanish Dancer" | Steve Winwood/Will Jennings | Arc of a Diver (1980) | 6:00 |
| 4. | "Night Train" | Duke Ellington/Steve Winwood/Will Jennings | Arc of a Diver (1980) | 7:50 |
| 5. | "Dust" | Steve Winwood/George Fleming | Arc of a Diver (1980) | 6:20 |
| 6. | "Valerie" | Steve Winwood/Will Jennings | Talking Back to the Night (1982) | 4:07 |
| 7. | "Talking Back to the Night" | Steve Winwood/Will Jennings | Talking Back to the Night (1982) | 5:45 |
| 8. | "Your Silence Is Your Song" | Steve Winwood/Will Jennings | Talking Back to the Night (1982) | 5:15 |
| 9. | "Higher Love" | Steve Winwood/Will Jennings/Martin Gore | Back in the High Life (1986) | 5:47 |
| 10. | "Freedom Overspill" | Steve Winwood/George Fleming/Jake Hooker | Back in the High Life (1986) | 4:15 |
| 11. | "Back in the High Life Again" | Steve Winwood/Will Jennings | Back in the High Life (1986) | 4:22 |
| 12. | "The Finer Things" | Steve Winwood/Will Jennings | Back in the High Life (1986) | 4:11 |
| 13. | "Roll with It" | Steve Winwood/Will Jennings | Roll with It (1988) | 4:30 |
| 14. | "Don't You Know What the Night Can Do?" | Steve Winwood/Will Jennings | Roll with It (1988) | 4:30 |
| 15. | "One and Only Man" | Steve Winwood/Jim Capaldi | Refugees of the Heart (1990) | 4:39 |
Notes
References
- ^ Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. The Finer Things review at AllMusic. Retrieved 2026-01-01.
- ^ Nager, Larry (21 March 1995). "Steve Winwood's 'The Finer Things' Is British Blue-Eyed Soul at Its Best". Pottsville Republican. p. 12.
- ^ Chakerian, Pete (24 March 1995). "Nothing's Finer Than Winwood's 'Things'". The Plain Dealer. p. 18.
- ^ Sweeting, Adam (24 March 1995). "Steve Winwood – The Finer Things (Island)". Music. The Guardian. p. 12.
- ^ Evans, Simon (25 March 1995). "Steve Back with His Best". Arts. The Birmingham Post. p. 36.
- ^ Evans, Chris (30 March 1995). "Trafficking in the Past". Listening Post. Stafford Post. p. 23.
- ^ "Keep On Running If You Want To Be in Heaven". Local Entertainments. The Mail (Millom and South Copeland ed.). 30 March 1995. p. 49.
- ^ Hunt, Dennis (31 March 1995). "Winwood Set: Too Much Space to Post-'81". Los Angeles Times. p. F15.
- ^ Graff, Gary (1996). "Steve Winwood". In Graff, Gary (ed.). MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide. p. 737. ISBN 9780787610371.
- ^ Holden, Stephen (16 September 1986). "Pop: Steve Winwood". New York Times.
- ^ Pareles, Jon (10 December 1995). "POP MUSIC; Out of the Vault and Ready to Wrap". New York Times.
- ^ a b c Verna, Paul (25 February 1995). "Steve Winwood Gets 'Finer' with Island Box Set". Billboard. pp. 12, 151.
- ^ a b "Winwood Gets 'Finer' with Island Box Set". Evansville Courier & Press. 26 February 1995. p. C7.
- ^ Planer, Lindsay (22 March 1995). "Boy Wonder". For The Record. The Charlotte Observer. p. 12.