Adam Faith - I Survive

The ‘I Survive’ album which has not been available on vinyl for over four decades stands as one of the great unsung records of the 1970s -- and one of the last great "super-sessions" of the age as well. Co-produced by Faith and David Courtney, engineered by Deep Purple faithful Martin Birch, mastered by Mickie Most, and draws in guest appearances from Paul & Linda McCartney, Russ Ballard and Argent's Bob Henrit, and Ritchie Blackmore who’s lead guitar flourishes through the title track that match anything he'd done with his own band.
The songs are equally eye-catching, as Faith and Courtney collaborate across ten solid pop-rockers that are as close to the Beatles as they are to Courtney's then-swinging partnership with Sayer, and offer few concessions whatsoever to Faith's own past as a pre-beat boom balladeer. When he does slow down, as on the sweet "I Believe in Love," his vocal is a dead ringer for some lost Ray Davies' jewel, while the quirky "Foreign Lady" has a beery singalong quality that is irresistible.

The Kinks parallels resurface elsewhere across the album, with the closing pairing of "In Your Life" and "Star Song" as movingly mighty a finale as any of Davies' concept albums ever enjoyed, the first a sparse piano-led confession, the second an atmosphere-drenched rumination on the fame that Faith had walked away from, and was now in the business of inflicting upon others.

From a musical point of view, ‘I Survive’ wipes the floor with all contenders, past and present. A masterpiece.

Review by: DAVE THOMPSON ALL MUSIC GUIDE