Reviews roundup – The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra vs. Snarky Dave & The Prickly Bluesmen vs. Violent Silence
THE ROYAL PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA
Fleetwood Mac’s Rumours
Purple Pyramid
Well, um, what can you say. It’s the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra performing an, um, orchestral version of Fleetwood Mac’s Rumours. That’s what it says on the tin, and that’s what you’ve got.
They’ve got a history of tackling classic rock music such as Pink Floyd and Queen, in a symphonic style, as a quick look at Amazon will attest, and this was very enjoyable. It was recorded at Abbey Road studios and sees a couple of guest appearances from Peter Frampton on ‘Gold Dust Woman’ and steel guitarist Sarah Jory on ‘You Make Loving Fun’.
Quite how often I’m likely to return to this is open to debate, but it was fun while it lasted.
SNARKY DAVE & THE PRICKLY BLUESMEN
Big Snark
self released
Delaware’s David Brenton has come up with a rather enjoyable set of original blues tunes on this release. He bills himself as a “true snarky-ass”, so I was expecting something a bit angrier, but in the company of his Prickly Bluesmen – Rick Beck on the B-3, Bobby Barr on bass, Chris Foltz on percussion, Tony Robinson on drums, and Jay Heath on sax – he fits comfortably into the mainstream of the blues.
Having said that he’s a good songwriter who takes on the political as well as the personal, jumping from ‘Caucasian Blues’ to the big ballad, ‘Mother and I’ without skipping a beat. The band can also rock a little, as the do on ‘Mike Sully’s Boogie’, and the well placed keyboard and sax enhancements really do lift the record.
A good band playing good songs. What more do you want.
VIOLENT SILENCE
A Broken Truce
Progress Records
It’s been eight years since the last Violent Silence release, “Kinetic’, so you’d be forgiven for having forgotten all about the Swedish progressive rock band. Still led by drummer / keyboards man, Johan Hedman, they’ve come up with an excellent comeback album, which will please those who like their prog dense and complex.
I’m too old and tired to check, but I seem to recall them being heavier back in the day, but across the four tracks on offer, there is a welcome melodicism, which may be down to their guitar free lineup.
All the tunes kick in at ten minutes plus, with the opening ‘Prism Path’, the highlight for me. My one grip is the brevity of the record, as it all came to a close a bit too quickly for me, but when that’s your only complaint you know it’s an album worth hearing.
The Rocker - The Artist Formerly Known As Zeitgeist. TAFKAZ 
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