Got Any Gum?

Released in 1987, Joe Walsh’s Got Any Gum? has been widely misunderstood, mostly because it bears little resemblance to his beloved '70s output. Many critics make the mistake of locating this album in the context of Walsh’s early career. Instead it should be located in the context of 1987, when the influential TV show Miami Vice had spawned its own genre of decadent, heart-pumping pop-rock music. Inexplicably, Walsh never appeared on Miami Vice, but “Fun,” “Malibu,” and “Time” would've been a perfect fit for the show’s neon shootouts and high-speed Ferrari chases. Which is to say: Got Any Gum? has its own charm, as long the listener accepts it as the charm of the high '80s in all its synth-driven glory. As usual for Walsh, there are a few genuinely experimental nuggets hidden away here, including the atmospheric “No Peace in the Jungle,” which is reminiscent of Leonard Cohen’s work from the same period. For those solely seeking a pop hit, there's the jangly and bouncy “In My Car,” which was cowritten by Ringo Starr and is every bit as catchy as anything The Traveling Wilburys ever put out.