Music review: Billy Ocean – 鈥極ne World鈥�
The Beatles were right all along. Love is all we really need. It鈥檚 a message that has been preached by numerous artists for decades. As we all yearn for a return to some normalcy, demonstrating peace, love and understanding must guide us in our everyday interaction with one another.
With his latest release, Billy Ocean seeks to spark a revolution of love as he proclaims, 鈥淪o much demonstrations/People voicing their opinion/We got to find the solution/What we need is a love revolution.鈥�
Forty-five years after the release of his self-titled debut, Ocean sparks another love revival with a smooth collection of songs containing uplifting messages that encourage a reconnecting with our fellow brothers and sisters.
鈥淲e Gotta Find Love鈥� kicks off the album with the singer-songwriter detailing the urgency to pursue compassion by breaking down the barriers that separate us as we come together for a common goal that provides for better days ahead.
The title track is an infectious call to action to take care of business and save the one world we have been given because we can鈥檛 afford to get this one wrong as Ocean warns, 鈥淚 see there鈥檚 something going on/It鈥檚 time for us to turn it around.鈥�
Love songs 鈥淔eel the Love,鈥� 鈥淟ove You More鈥� and 鈥淏etcha Don鈥檛 Know鈥� spotlight Ocean at his best by setting the perfect romantic mood and capturing the moving power of love.
Ocean is just as effective when describing the heartbreak of a lost love on the R&B tracks 鈥淢issing You Everyday鈥� and 鈥淐an鈥檛 Stand the Pain.鈥� Ocean鈥檚 soulful voice is just as strong as when he delivered the hits 鈥淐aribbean Queen (No More Love on the Run)鈥� and 鈥淪uddenly鈥� back in 1984.
Just like with 1988鈥檚 鈥淕et Outta My Dreams, Get into My Car,鈥� Ocean proves he can still motivate a crowd to get up and dance on the pulsating party numbers 鈥淲hen I Saw You鈥� and 鈥淢ystery.鈥�
Ocean brings the album to an encouraging close with 鈥淣othing Will Stand in Our Way鈥� as he sings, 鈥淲ith a little love/And the moon above/We will keep on holding on/Saving what we鈥檝e got.鈥�
Love will indeed keep us together.