Reviews roundup – Saffire vs. Rhino’s Revenge vs. T.G. Sheppard vs. Brad Vickers vs. Simulacrum
SAFFIRE
For The Greater Good
AOR Heaven
We’re going to kick things off today with some top notch Swedish melodic rock meets AOR. And when I say top notch, I really mean it, as this record doesn’t have a single duff tune. It also boasts a great production, something that has let down a few AOR releases of late.
They date back to 2005 when guitarist Victor Olsson and keyboard player Dino Zuzic were still at the school. A demo followed a couple of years later, and after the requisite line up changes in their early days they releases their debut album “From Ashes To Fire” a couple of years back. That led to some higher profile gigs, and now this second album.
It’s on the harder edge of the AOR world, so there are plenty of guitars and some great seventies styled keyboards. Add in a great selection of tunes like ‘Casters Of The First Stone’, ‘Shadowland’ and ‘Wake Up The World’, and you’re left with an album that any self-respecting melodic rock fan should be buying.
RHINO’S REVENGE
II
Molano Music
And now, a mere fifteen years after their debut, it’s the second album from Rhino’s Revenge. If you don’t know Rhino, then it’s probably because you’re not a Status Quo fan. But he’s been plucking the bass for them since 1986, while notching up a good few writing credits over the years.
Maybe he’s been waiting for his boys to grow up, because this features his sons Freddie on lead guitar and Max on the drums, while Rhino has a bash at everything. Now, if you’ve looked at Quo credits over the last 29 years you’ll see he’s attached to a lot of good ones, so it’s no great surprise that there are some fine songs here.
Generally, it’s more boisterous than his day job, but there is still plenty of blues rock and seventies rock in these grooves. He’s also get a way with lyrics and there are a few wry smiles to be had along the way. The most Quo like song is probably ‘One Note Blues’, although you could probably guess that from the title. I was also taken with the hard-driving ‘Secretary’, ‘All The Girls Love A Bastard’ and ‘My Name Is Stan’, which is all about his dog.
It sounds great, and comes with a Mike Paxman (Judie Tzuke, Uriah Heep , Status Quo) production, and will appeal to Quo fans and beyond.
T.G. SHEPPARD
Legendary Friends & Country Duets
Goldenlane
Hmm, bit of a cheat this one. Because nowhere in the bumph does it point out that this is a stripped down version of the 2CD / DVD combo that Mr Sheppard released on his own label back in 2008.
I did wonder, mind, when I realised that a few of the folk featured were dead, but really had to dredge my memory to place this. It was called “Partners In Rhyme” back then, which was a much better title, but as it didn’t seem to make much of a mark at the time, it’s actually worth rediscovering some of the music here.
Back when I was a wean, and my auld mammy was the Secretary of the Scottish Country Music Fellowship, the sounds of T.G. Sheppard were often to be heard around our house, and his listenable voice was very much intact when this was recorded. Add is some classic country tunes and performances from the likes of Willie Nelson, George Jones, Lorrie Morgan, Mickey Gilley, Delbert McClinton, Crystal Gayle, the Oak Ridge Boys, Jerry Lee Lewis and more, and you can’t really go wrong. And it doesn’t.
Best of the bunch – ‘Down On My Knees’ with the Oak Ridge Boys, ‘The Killer’ with Jerry Lee Lewis and a sax solo from Bobby Keys and ‘Wine To Remember And Whiskey To Forget’ with Mickey Gilley. Pure class country.
BRAD VICKERS & His Vestapolitans
That’s What They Say
ManHatTone
I’ve been a fan of Mr Vickers for a few years now, and am in the habit of saying “he moves around from rockin’ blues to jump blues to ragtime, hitting all points in-between”. And it’s a great sound, one which continues on this latest release.
His sound continues to develop, and you’re just as likely to hear a jug band influence or some country fiddling, as you are the blues. But wherever he lays his hat is going to leave you in a mighty fine place. He kicks things off with a boogie through Tampa Red’s ‘Seminole Blues’ before he heads off into some Leadbelly with ‘Don’t You Love Your Daddy No More’..
Elsewhere, he goes all Brother, Where Art Thou on ‘Mountain Sparrow’ which has some great banjo, mandolin and fiddle playing. There are even jazz hits ala the Hot Club de France as well as some great country rock on ‘Having A Ball’ The performances are uniformly excellent, and this is the kind of record that anyone who likes genuine, rootsy music should cock an ear to.
There is a host of guest performances, but with Mr Vickers setting the controls, this is a pure delight.
SIMULACRUM
Sky Divided
Inverse Records
Finally, for today, we’re off to Finland for some prog metal. But this is no representation or imitation. This is the real deal.
It’s very sci-fi and Blade Runner in approach, with main men, composer/keyboardist Chrism and lyricist/singer Niklas Broman bringing their world to life through music and imagery. Chock full of prog metal epics, it has a futuristic feel it, that will appeal to fans of the genre.
In places they are reminiscent of Symphony X, but they have taken their influences and moulded their own identity with tunes like ‘Behind The Belt of Orion’ and ‘A New Beginning’. In places they do become very power metal in feel, so bear that in mind. Also, the vocals sometimes veer into an era when Bruce Dickinson had his geegaws in a vice, and that can be a love or hate thing.
Otherwise, an excellent, hard-hitting release.
The Rocker - The Artist Formerly Known As Zeitgeist. TAFKAZ 
Leave a comment