Play Deep

Play Deep, the Outfield's debut album, contains a couple of singles that settled quite nicely into mid-'80s radio. Guided by Tony Lewis' airborne vocals and John Spinks' regimented guitar bluster, they managed to place two of the album's best songs within Billboard's Top 20. "Your Love" made it all the way to the number six spot in March of 1986, thanks to Lewis' high-pitched holler that dominates the opening of the song and a harmonious chorus that is overly smooth and rock savvy. Peaking at number 19 four months later, "All the Love in the World" is an unblemished rock tune with an effectively echoed vocal track, again highlighting the band's sweet-sounding consonance mixed in with rugged guitar work. The uncharted material sounds just as fluent and is anything but filler, especially efforts like "Say It Isn't So" and "I Don't Need Her," along with slower songs like "Everytime You Cry." Play Deep is a worthy first release from this British trio, led by a novel guitar and vocal concoction. ~ Mike DeGagne