Category: Album reviews

This review was published in the January 2021 issue of Classic Rock magazine, no.

The Sixties and Seventies influence a safe record for such dynamic personnel.

Joseph Williams contributed vocals to Along for the Ride, which sees Jeff Babko channelling some Won’t Get Fooled Again-spec keys. Williams also appears on laidback foot-tapper Run to Me, with Lukather’s All-Starr bandmate Ringo.

Anybody searching for a likeness to Toto will be satisfied with moody, groovy Serpent Soul, however the record eschews any further comparisons. Instrumental Journey Through smacks of Steve Vai’s For the Love of God – perfect for the contemplative soul also prone to a bout of air guitar. The title track is serene and melodic but with little else to say for itself.

Prog and blues crop up in the extensive Low Spark of High Heeled Boys and Bridge of Sighs, which closes the record. Along with Joe Walsh’s Welcome to the Club, none stray far from the original save for better production. The album has quality in spades, but there are very few surprises.

6/10

Phoebe Flys

This review was published in the September 2020 issue of Classic Rock magazine, no. 280.

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Acoustic guitar replaces wall-quivering distortion, yet this reimagining delivers no lesser quality.

The new-fangled Get Off preserves its cornerstone snarling bass; original echoes of I Miss The Misery disappear before an acoustic backdrop falls in. Brother Hale’s drums and his sister’s incendiary vocals give way to ferocious ode to self-love I Am The Fire. Gone is its former chugging intensity, this version’s a slow burner. Standout gem Break In sees Ms Hale join forces with Evanescence’s Amy Lee for a lesson in powerhouse vocals: “You let me fall apart without letting go.” Hale’s serrated growls replace Whitney Houston’s melisma in a hard rock I Will Always Love You, and layered vocals in the ever-threatening Mz Hyde still warn off any potential suitor. Josh Smith’s distorted bass concludes the album with the same steel-toed grit with which it began.

While these reimagined Halestorm favourites might be realised differently, their essential attitude remains undimmed. Yet another perfect showcase for Lzzy Hale as an unstoppable force of nature.

8/10

Raised on Radio is a hidden gem among the catalogue of everyone’s favourite karaoke arena rock band. The first song I latched onto was the third track. Suzanne is a phenomenal song, mainly due to one of the unsung (pun intended) heroes of rock, Steve Perry. Perry is one of my favourite singers, so of course I’m probably being slightly biased here, but the not-so-tiny expression just before the second chorus became the best part of the song for me purely because it showcases the sheer power of his voice. The song itself applies the generic Journey formula of repetitive verse, hugely uplifting chorus, spectacular crescendo. Very difficult not to dance to, sing into a hairbrush, etc. Just me? Cool, cool, cool…

If you’re listening to this album in a bad mood, you won’t end it in a bad mood. As if the soaring happiness of Suzanne isn’t enough, Be Good to Yourself explodes in about 1.5 seconds later. As the little ray of sunshine that I am (ha ha ha), I’m obviously never in a bad mood. On these rare occasions, I genuinely find it difficult to maintain said bad mood whilst listening to this track. It’s a synthesized, distorted, raspy eighties guide to self help. Perf.

I’m not such a big fan of Raised on Radio. It doesn’t stand out particularly prominently for me, but it’s difficult to place my finger on why exactly this song and not the others. Obviously every band has a trademark sound (AC/DC) – but the track doesn’t have any particularly remarkable features. It’s always a bit of a letdown when the title track seems to fall into the category of filler rather than standout single for me.

Now, let’s examine It Could Have Been You. Riff: too catchy. Not the sort of thing I’d expect from the style that I’d become used to from Journey before hearing this album. Plus, the return of Steve Perry’s vocal loveliness, particularly the last chorus. It’s an interesting song musically; the staccato elements of the guitar riff, the sudden bursts of drums and keyboards. Despite this, Perry still provides an overlaying swathe of power ballad vocals, making a fantastic contrast between music and voice.

I absolutely adore the lyrics of The Eyes of a Woman. I think the idea behind the song is beautiful and my favourite lines are present in the chorus – “the eyes of a woman/there’s nowhere to run” – it has an intensity behind it, as if the female gaze forms an inescapable trap and there is nothing to be done but surrender to emotion. It’s an incredibly passionate yet mature approach to a love song. Once again, *Steve Perry greatness klaxon.*

The final song on the album, Why Can’t This Night Go On Forever, is the other song besides Suzanne that I listened to when I first discovered the album. It’s a hauntingly beautiful piece of music, melodically and lyrically . Two lines stick out for different reasons. “Lover, don’t fade away” – you never hear the word ‘lover’ anymore – and “tell me secrets that make you cry.” Not so much for the lyrical content, but you really have to hear this line in the song to understand why it’s so brilliant; the sheer power of Steve Perry’s voice, yet again, is overwhelming. If you don’t believe me, try and hit that note.
It always angers me when people consider Aerosmith’s Don’t Wanna Miss a Thing as the best power ballad of all time. This is a whole separate rant but I can condense it down to the following: you fucking what? These idiotic people have skipped along, blissful in their ignorance of a billion better ballads than the Aerosmith song (although I still love Diane Warren), Why Can’t This Night being one of them. Sounds like you could make a tongue twister out of that. Tyler had a ballad but the ballad was too basic, Perry had a better ballad to make the basic ballad…something…something…anyway…

I love this album. It’s one of my desert island records and it doesn’t deserve to be as overlooked as I think it has been. The songs are a testament to the lyrical and musical skills of all the members. Overall, it’s energetic, dynamic and awash stellar songwriting and musicianship. It’s well worth a listen, so that if anyone ever says to you that Don’t Stop Believing is the best Journey song, you can say “ah, but…”

This review was published in the April 2016 issue of Classic Rock magazine, no. 221

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Out of 60 songs created between 2014/15, Ginger Wildheart has cherry-picked his favourite 12.

He’s chosen wisely. From the introductory beat of Down the Dip to the harmonious collaboration with Courtney Love on Honour, Year Of The Fanclub has you hooked from the off. With only a small sniff of Wildhearts influence, the record is a hotbed of diversity. Also the perfect platform for Ginger’s renowned lyrical skills, The Pendine Incident is a folky onslaught of life advice, whilst a more cynical side of his songwriting is brought out in the exceedingly catchy Toxins and Tea. The gentle acoustic tracks are booted aside by hard-rock riffs, à la Ostracide. The whole album packs a punch, with choruses that will be glued to your auditory cortex for days, and obviously, a beat that won’t quit.

9/10

 

This review was published in the May 2015 issue of Classic Rock magazine, no. 209.

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Like slipping on an old pair of shoes, Ringo returns with his first new album in 3 years.

Calling on his all-star band, Ringo’s 18^th solo album treads a well-worn path. The opening track, Rory and the Hurricanes, is an autobiographical reminiscence of his pre-Beatles band, whilst Bridges harks back to a later period of sitar – laden psychedelia.

The album features some stellar musicians, but it’s a shame that they didn’t have more memorable material to work with, as the rest of the album drifts along as mid-tempo AOR with no particular standout tracks. A rather predictable record – if you like Ringo, it’s what you’d hope for, if not, then this album won’t convince you otherwise.

5/10

This review was published in the April 2015 issue of Classic Rock magazine, no. 201.

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They’re back with more of the same, fourteenth time round.

Toto invariably exemplify professionalism, and XIV maintains the tradition. Harmonies are tight, production slick. Running Out Of Time‘s energetic opening anticipates a developing melodic structure comfortingly reminiscent of their earlier work. It’s great to hear Joe Williams – the singer most identified with the band through their various incarnations – back on vocals. So far, so predictable. However, the mellow 21st Century Blues adds a jazzier edge that sweeps through its chorus, making it hard to believe that it doesn’t belong on Donald Fagen’s The Nightfly, due to its interjections of smooth harmonies, synth and unadulterated funk. Just as 1986’s Fahrenheit had I’ll Be Over You, XIV has The Little Things – a perfectly positioned, engagingly melodic, relaxing ballad to effortlessly delight the AOR mainstream. Chinatown is the track which smacks most of the band’s 80s work – with vocals switching between Lukather and Williams, the prominent piano interludes and the recognisable Toto harmonies, it’s a lost track from The Seventh One. The album is drawn to a close by Great Expectations, a surprising number; somehow combining a folk sound with distorted AOR, it should sound wrong, but somehow sounds right. Probably because it’s executed by several top quality session musicians. No problem there.

Toto have always showcased world class drumming (Jeff Porcaro, Simon Phillips) and in Keith Carlock they’ve secured the services of yet another well-seasoned session veteran. Despite a style less distinctive than that of Porcaro, Carlock brings the groove to XIV, particularly in Holy War and Orphan – challenge yourself not to tap your foot. Carlock is an adequate addition to the band’s back catalogue of drummers. Not surprising considering a percussive CV that includes Diana Ross, Steely Dan and Paula Abdul. Lukather still remains at the forefront of most of the tracks; producing an intrinsic infusion of distorted charm over the combination of blues and rock, his playing is just as recognisable as always. The pillars of Toto lie in Paich and Porcaro. As long serving Toto members and providing backing vocals and synth sound which has given the band their most recognisable sound, the two keyboard gurus tie the band’s new album together. However, it’s the distinctive vocals and production sheen of XIV that ultimately serves to reinforce the impression that Toto remains a by-word for quality, musicianship and pizazz.