Guaranteed (Level 42 Album) - Overview

Overview

Guaranteed was the first Level 42 album without a songwriting contribution from former member Boon Gould (who had contributed lyrics to some songs for the 1988 album Staring at the Sun following his departure from the band). Several songs were co-written with lyricists Drew Barfield and George M. Green. Guaranteed was also the first Level 42 album to be released following the death of guitarist Alan Murphy (who had taken over from Gould for Staring at the Sun and related tours).

The lineup credits for the album listed all of the musicians involved rather than clearly defining the separation between band and guest players. This reflected the ongoing personnel shifts within the band. All cover art and inlay photos implied that the band consisted of Mark King, Mike Lindup and Gary Husband plus a guitarist, but was less clear on the latter's identity - inlay photos featured Allan Holdsworth while cover artwork featured Jakko Jakszyk. In practise, Holdsworth (who had played with the band during its recent London residency at the Hammersmith Apollo) only contributed electric guitar solos to five of the album's songs in the studio - "Seven Years", "A Kinder Eye", "She Can't Help Herself", "If You Were Mine" and "With A Little Love". Band associate Dominic Miller contributed all rhythm guitar work (as he had done for Staring at the Sun). Jakszyk (formerly with 64 Spoons and a top session guitarist) played no part in recording the album, but was hired for touring and promotional work and hence featured in the album artwork and the promotional video clips for "Guaranteed", "Overtime" and "My Father's Shoes".

Due to Mike Lindup's absence from many of the sessions, a high proportion of the keyboard parts for Guaranteed were played by drummer Gary Husband (including the piano solo on "Her Big Day") although Lindup would later overdub solos. Husband would also expand his songwriting contribution, including writing the song ("If You Were Mine" on his own. Husband would leave Level 42 following this album (to be replaced by the band's original drummer Phil Gould) although he would return to the band in 1999.

The single "Guaranteed" placed 17th in the UK single charts in 1991 and had two versions of its music video produced. The song "A Kinder Eye" was dedicated to the memory of Frances Robblee, the mother-in-law of lyricist George M. Green.