The Living Years (1988), by Mike + The Mechanics

The sophomore effort by Genesis guitarist/bassist Mike Rutherford’s other band is just about as good as their first, with such standout songs as the title track, “Nobody Knows,” “Don’t,” “Beautiful Day,” and “Why Me?”

This second album definitely turns up the volume a bit more, but its loudness is of the good kind, especially as it synthesizes the sounds of Genesis and The Police, as well as solo Phil Collins and solo Sting.

Rutherford also stretches his typically minimalist and atmospheric guitar textures and branches out into more adventurous lead playing. Vocalists Paul Carrack and Paul Young also take more chances with their singing, yielding pleasantly soulful results.

“The Living Years” is the crowning achievement of this collection and perhaps Mike + The Mechanics’ entire repertoire, becoming one of the biggest hit singles of the 1980s with continuous play on MTV and radio and remaining timeless and memorable to this day.

--Raj Manoharan