Reviews roundup – The Val vs. Gretchen Peters vs. Thirteen vs. Everseer vs. Krankschaft

Reviews roundup – The Val vs. Gretchen Peters vs. Thirteen vs. Everseer vs. Krankschaft
THE VAL
Heading For The Surface
Sounderella

Right, here I am girding myself for another year, and what’s first on the stereogram but a record that makes me feel quite young. And that record is the second release from Spanish / German AOR / melodic rockers The Val.

It’s a crap name fro a band, but once vocalist Gabrielle de Val gets revved up and into some classy eighties styled melodic rock, then all seems well with the world. It’s the kind of thing that would have got them a lot of steady support work with major players back in the day, while folks wondered why they hadn’t quite made it big themselves.

It’s a wee bit Romeos Daughter, a wee bit Heart, a wee bit Robin Beck, and even if not every song is a killer, it’s definitely worth multiple plays. The best songs for me were ‘She’s Dumb And Blind’ and ‘Wish You All The Best’, but it’s a record that reminds me of the days when my trousers were tighter and my hair was bigger. Thank you.

BUY AT AMAZON
GRETCHEN PETERS
Blackbirds
Scarlet Letter

Well after all that, I’m a bit depressed now, after listening to the latest from Gretchen Peters. That’s not because it’s a bad record. Far from it. But it’s not a very happy place.

Poignant, mournful, insightful. But not cheery. Which is situation normal round my way, but I can only take so much angst at this time of the year. Having said that, this is up there amongst the best records that Ms Peters has put out, but I thought I was miserable until I pitched up here.

Musically, it inhabits the same world as her other records, in that netherworld of country, folk and dark Americana, and songs like ‘When All You Got Is A Hammer’,‘Everything Falls Away’ and ‘The Cure For The Pain’ take you places you don’t really want to go.

Brilliant but brutal.

BUY AT AMAZON

THIRTEEN
A Shot In The Dark
independent

Off to the Netherlands now for some prog tinged, goth swathed melodic metal in a collaboration between Odyssice keyboard player Jeroen van der Wiel, and female vocalist Audrey LaHaije.

And it’s really good. But then I am a sucker for this sort of thing. The day that Sarah Brightman joins Nightwish is the die I keel over, secure in the knowledge that life has peaked. Now it’s not that good, but aided and abetted by Dennis ‘Hairball’ Smeekes, Aldo Adema (Egdon Heath), Jaco Ket and Mark Silverentand, the main duo have put together a wee cracker.

With the prog influences of Jeroen, and the goth ones of Audrey, their goal of of a mix between Within Temptation, Muse, and Pink Floyd seems like a good idea, and on songs like ‘Just Leave’ and ‘Unconscious Thoughts’ are a real treat. There are some good arrangements and solos, and here’s hoping this doesn’t stay a ‘project’.

BUY AT AMAZON

EVERSEER
Visions
independent

Off to the mythical continent of Australia now for some prog rock with a hint of metal, with a young up and coming band, put together a couple of years back by bass player Dylan Drury. And it’s no bad.

It’s an EP introduction to their music, which I always think is a good idea. Just in case you onlyhave three good songs. And Everseer have five, which is handy on a five track EP. The guitar work is particulary fine, as is the percussion, so it’s a shame that they’ve recently lost their drummer. Although, bearing in mind my Theory of Australasia, is he really ‘lost’.

Vocalist Emma Swiney also puts in a decent shift, and it’s refreshing to hear this kind of music with a female perspective. The potential is here.

KRANKSCHAFT
Three
Stereo Records

In case you weren’t paying attention, Krankschaft was the briefly used title of a backing band for Robert Calvert, one time Hawkwind vocalist who back in the day comprised Steve Pond, Dead Fred and drummer Mick Stupp, who were all active in the punk rock group Inner City Unit, collaborators with Nik Turner.

Nowadays, Krankschaft are basically Steve Pond and whoever he chooses, currently Alex Tsentides (bass) and Kevin Walker (drums). And, if the Hawkwind statement above wasn’t sufficient warning, then the music more than makes up for it as it blasts proudly off into spacerock territory, the likes of which is all to rare nowadays. Which makes me very happy indeed.

There is no such thing as too much Hawkwind influenced spacerock, and this offering is of the highest order, with the likes of ’Dark Energy’, the Bob Calvert lyrics of ‘Day of the Quake’ and ‘Come Fly With Us’ more than enough to have me sobbing for the days when I had a life.

‘Sheep’ is a bit shit, but that aside, this is absolutely essential listening for spacerock lovers.

BUY AT AMAZON