Reviews roundup – Holter vs. Steve Young vs. Gin Blossoms vs. The Proven Ones vs. Fred Mika

Reviews roundup – Holter vs. Steve Young vs. Gin Blossoms vs. The Proven Ones vs. Fred Mika
HOLTER
Vlad The Impaler
Frontiers

First and most important question. Is it as good as “Swing of Death”, the Dracula musical from Trond Holter (for it is he) and Jorn Lande? No, of course not because that was pure dead brilliant. But, hang on, it is a very good melodic power metal album even shorn of Jorn.

Yes, Trond Holter has as decided to carry on with the whole Dracula concept. Jorn Lande isn’t around which is a shame but he has got his 50th birthday box set to flog. So Holter has brought in a couple of new singers – Nils K Rue (Pagan’s Mind) and Eva Iselin Erichsen – for this follow-up. It’s a less stagey record which annoys the jazzhands fan in me, but it is tougher, heavier and more metal which will please the out and out metalheads out there.

So we’re rattling on with the tale of the Prince of Wallachia and there are some fine songs to push the story forward. Musically it’s in the Avantasia, Royal Hunt ball park with the power metal of ‘The World’s On Fire’ and ‘Drums Of Doom’ getting the studded wristband punching the air. Best of all, though, is the big power ballad ‘Shadows Of Love’ which is just a great song, regardless of genre. Things tie in to the first record with another highlight ‘Save Me Pt II’ which, um, follow on from ‘Save Me’ in fine style. It may be missing the weirdness of “Swing of Death” but as a more straightforward power metal offering it delivers the goods.

 
STEVE YOUNG
A Little North of Nowhere
independent

He’s a bit good is Steve Young. I really enjoyed the recent “The Great North Road EP” and the earlier “Troubadour” album. Safe to say, if he was Over There instead of Over Here country radio would be having a field day such is his grasp of country pop melodies.

It helps that he’s a good singer as well, just as comfortable with a feel good tune as he is a heartbreak song. All bases are covered here with ease on what would have been one of the best country records of the year if it hadn’t been for all five tracks from the EP reappearing here. Luckily he seems to have been wise to that and if you buy the physical CD from his website at https://www.musicglue.com/steveyounguk/music you’ll not only get it signed but it’s a double disc with the second one containing 5 bonus tracks and an audio commentary of each song to give a unique insight into the writing of each song. Downloaders may want to just buy the six new songs.

And you should because there’s not a bum note to be found here. It’s just non stop goodies from start to finish and will utterly delight fans of acoustic country pop. Best of the newbies are ‘A Fools Dream’ and the harmony drenched ‘Whiskey & Wine’. Of the older ones ‘Trembling Heart’ remains an absolutely essential listen. Ach, downloaders be damned, this is one of the best country records of the year. If you like mellow sounds, pedal steel and heartfelt lyrics buy this immediately.

 
GIN BLOSSOMS
Mixed Reality
Cleopatra

I know one thing about Gin Blossoms. And it’s not even a fact. For years I thought they had appeared in an episode of Sabrina The Teenage Witch where Aunt Zelda transforms into a teenage chaperone so Sabrina can go to their concert. I only know this as I had a thing for Beth Broderick back in the day. That was over 20 years ago and it was only 5 or 6 years ago that someone pointed out to me that it was the Violent Femmes who were in that episode. So not only did I mistake Gin Blossoms for someone else, the one song I thought I knew I didn’t. After that I briefly got them confused with Gin Goblins, the Embra punk who always seemed to be playing at Moray House any time I went in for a cheap bevvy. Then Mikie Jacobs killed himself and I had to accept that I had no idea who Gin Blossoms were.

The good old days. Because this, their first album in eight years, is generic nineties US indie / college radio music. It’s the kind of thing that made me want to smash the telly back in the day and it’s no surprise that they’ve got producers Don Dixon and Mitch Easter (R.E.M.) on board as it is exactly the Sort of Thing that fans of that style will enjoy. And there were millions of them back in the day and if they’re still in mourning for the passing of said outfit then there are a fair few tunes here that will ease the pain.

The best two songs are right at the start in the shape of ‘Break’ and ‘Face the Dark’ and I briefly thought that blandness aside it might not be that bad. But there are fifteen songs here so it’s a long way down to hell. I’m no expert but they seem to have gone a wee bit rootsy in places and some songs are synth heavy so it’s a mixed bag of different sounds all of which are attached to bland songs. It’s not that it’s out and out bad, just a CD chock full of acceptable mediocrity. To be fair that reflects the world we live in where “it’ll do” and “it’s alright” seem to be the watchwords of the young. Me, I” take glorious failure or masterpiece but never fifteen shades of grey.

 
THE PROVEN ONES
Wild Again
Roseleaf Records

Supergroups, eh? They’re eyeways a bit shite. Cream, Deek & The Dominoes, Audioslave, thone one the top hat fella out of the Gunners formed. All a bit rubbish.

But hang on. This is a bit good, this is. Comprising Jimi Bott on drums ( 19 nominations at The Blues Music Awards), bassist Willie J. Campbell who has three BMA nominations of his own, they set the groove for The Fabulous Thunderbirds for nigh on a decade before reuniting in The Mannish Boys. Add in the played with everyone and then some guitarist Kid Ramos who was a Thunderbird alongside them, vocalist Brian Templeton (Radio Kings / Knickerbocker All-Stars) and Anthony Geraci, piano and Hammond organ, from Sugar Ray and The Bluetones and you’ve got decades worth of top notch blues experience. And it works. Big Time.

Chuck in a horn section when required and a host of classic tunes alongside three originals and this is pure class from start to finish. Templeton, in particular, seems to have stepped up his game with some throaty Bland-shments here and there while the band get on with the business of being great. There’s nary a bum note to be found whether on their own tunes or revisits to Clarence Carter, Fleetwood Mac or Fats Domino. Best of all, though, is their take on one of my all time favourite tunes, ‘Loan Me A Dime’ from Fenton Robinson. You’d think an eleven minute version would overstay its welcome by at least seven minutes but by the end you’re still left begging for more.

An essential, absolute peach of a record.

 

 

FRED MIKA
Withdrawal Symptons
Rock Company

It’s the one fans are all waiting for. You know, The announcement that the drummer is doing a solo album.

So fans of Brazilian band Sunroad must have been besides themselves with joy when this appeared. Turns out said band have punted out half a dozen albums over the last twenty years or so. Nope, me neither. But it explains how Mr Mika has cajoled a host of Brazilian rock singers to appear here. See it’s one of those where a different singer is on each tune. Mind you, it’s as much an Andre Adonis record as he co-writes, plays guitars, bass and keyboards and does some singing as well. And he’s in Sunroad. Which just confuses me.

Never having heard Sunroad I don’t know how much this differs from their records but I’m hazarding a guess that this collection of old school, melodic hard rock won’t be a million miles away. And there are a few good tunes along for the ride. The best two are right in the middle when the class of Carl Dixon and Michael Voss help lift the songs on ‘Wired In’ and ‘Artwork Nightmare’ respectively.

There are nods to classic Deep Purple in a few places when the keyboards are a wee bit more prominent but there just aren’t enough to push the record from good to great. There are some jazzy and instrumental interludes which don’t help the flow so even though I quite enjoyed it but I won’t be rushing back.

 

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St Columba’s Hospice Tribute Fund for Linda Hamilton
http://linda.hamilton.muchloved.com/
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