Nad Sylvan - Spiritus Mundi (InsideOut Records)
Nad Sylvan's previous record The Regal Bastard was the final part of his Vampire based trilogy of albums. They were Gothic art rocking records with a defined concept throughout, so Sylvan, ever the renaissance man decided that his next album should take a different route. One of the tracks on that record, The Lake Isle Of Innisfree, was written in conjunction with singer/songwriter Andrew Laitres. Sylvan says that he sees a lot of in Laitres, so the natural progression was for both men to collaborate on a whole album. Spiritus Mundi is that album and it too has a concept, albeit one that is based around literature, the lyrics coming from the poetry of Irishman William Butler Yeats.
The focus musically is on the vocals with both Sylvan and Laitres contributing lead vocals, their voices working a melodic unison as Sylvan's lower tones are counterpointed by Laitres' higher register. It means vocally there's a touch of Supertramp. The ambiguity of using poetry for the lyrics means that the songs compositions are used to tell the story. Sylvan and Laitres are the main musicians on the record providing: keyboards, orchestration, electric & acoustic guitar, bass, drums, programming and acoustic nylon, steel and 12 string guitars, additional keyboards between them. So they orchestrate folksy/orchestral soundscapes that always sits more in art than in rock. Take the lilting, choral The Hawk and the fireside folk of The Witch And The Mermaid as two perfect examples of this record's down-to-earth, yet artistic milieu.
Sylvan himself said there was a focus on sparseness on this record and that is all well and good but it does mean it can be a little too much like background music, but it's in this style of music where Sylvan's heart lies. He's also opened up his address book recruiting Tony Levin (bass), Steve Hackett (12 string guitar), Neil Whitford (electric guitar/slide guitar), Jonas Reingold (bass), Mirkko De Maio (drums, congas), Steve Piggot (electric guitar) and Kiwi Te Kanna (oboe, chinese flute) for a very dense yet airy musical palette. Spiritus Mundi (World Spirit Latin fans) has a feeling of a magic to it, the fusion of poppy art rock and poetic lyrics is Nad Sylvan at his most elegant. 7/10
The Limit - Caveman Logic (Svart Records)
As soon as Kitty Gone roared out of my stereo, the immediate word that sprung to mind was The Stooges. Caveman Logic is an album born out of NYC Punk, Detroit Garage Rock and Swedish Doom, mainly as the band behind it, The Limit is a 'supergroup' of sorts. Now I thought The Stooges many times while listening to this record and that's because of the unstoppable basslines of Jimmy Recca (ex-The Stooges) are at the heart of every single tracks here. In the engine room he has Hugo Conim on rhythm guitar and Joao Pedro on drums behind him, bringing a rip-snorting, primal rock fury that is oft-missed in these days of more melodic phrasing.
The Limit - Caveman Logic (Svart Records)
As soon as Kitty Gone roared out of my stereo, the immediate word that sprung to mind was The Stooges. Caveman Logic is an album born out of NYC Punk, Detroit Garage Rock and Swedish Doom, mainly as the band behind it, The Limit is a 'supergroup' of sorts. Now I thought The Stooges many times while listening to this record and that's because of the unstoppable basslines of Jimmy Recca (ex-The Stooges) are at the heart of every single tracks here. In the engine room he has Hugo Conim on rhythm guitar and Joao Pedro on drums behind him, bringing a rip-snorting, primal rock fury that is oft-missed in these days of more melodic phrasing.
That's not to say this Caveman Logic is as dumb as it's Neanderthal namesake would have you believe, Sonny Vincent's snarling lead guitar, showing his experience style that comes from his membership as part of NY Punk originators Testors. His dirty guitar sound is a brilliant foil for Recca's amp breaking bass thump. However it's the inclusion of Bobby Liebling (Pentagram) that will really prick up the ears on Man Vs Machine where he battles with the how technology is changing humanity against a surf rock backing, on These Days he laments the current day with a jangling alt rock bottom.
He delivers all of this with a barrel scraping baritone that brings to mind David Allen Coe here. His influence also comes on the doom rock opening of Over Rover though this quickly moves into more muscular punk rock, Fleeting Thoughts once again turns Liebling into a grumpy old man with a touch of early-Alice sneering, while Sir Lancelot has a touch of the Ramones about it. Bolstered by their collective experience of the rock n roll lifestyle Caveman Logic is a filthy, dirty, rock n roll record from The Limit. 8/10
Following up The Final Countdown was always going to be a hard sell for Swedish melodic rock powerhouses Europe. Doing so without their founding guitarist John Norum (who hated the new 'poodle rock' sound they were moving in) would also be something of a difficult. However with guitarist Kee Marcello on board Europe's fourth album Out Of This World (having already been a part of the band on The FInal Countdown live tour) is probably the strongest of the two albums recorded after Final Countdown before the band took an extended hiatus (and have now reinvented themselves has hard rock survivors with Norum back in the fold). However Marcello has been no slouch since leaving the Europe fold he has his solo career and his own band Kee Of Hearts with Fair Warning singer Tommy Heart.
It's this partnership that has continued on Out Of This World named after Marcello's most high profile album with Europe, it could be seen as an extension of the Kee Of Hearts project however with producer Ron Nevison (who produced Out Of This World) it has a much stronger link to the Europe record. What you get here then the brilliant vocals of Heart, the flashy guitar playing of Marcello and some guest keys from Don Airey all wrapped up in a slick, bubblegum melodic rock/AOR. Nevinson's production means that the album has a high gloss sheen to it allowing for a huge rhythm section, walls of keyboards and the guitar/vocals of Marcello/Heart to take center stage. Sitting comfortably in the songwriting style of Superstitious, the joyous Twilight kicks off the album with joie-de-vivre, In A Million Years is a sci-fi ballad looking at the future of the planet, this space/sci-fi element continued on Staring At The Sun which has a touch of The Police about it.
It's not all Europe loving here. The Warrior is a clear example of this blatantly ripping off Van Halen's Hot For Teacher, allowing Marcello to live out his EVH fantasies. Out Of This World (Out Of This World version) has been released mainly for the Japanese market who will lap it up. But if you're a melodic rock/AOR lover then you'll enjoy this shimmering slice of poodle rock! 7/10
Hot Breath - Rubbery Lips (The Sign Records)
Firstly let me say that Rubbery Lips is not a tribute to Rolling Stones frontman Mick Jagger. It is the debut album by Swedish garage rockers Hot Breath. Their band name sounds filthy (though I suppose they could have been called Halitosis) and it's a the ideal reflection of their down n dirty rock n roll taking from the Detroit rock scene of the 60's and the London rock scene of the 70's. Fronted by the choppy guitar and sneering vocals of Jennifer Israelsson, Hot Breath can be summed up with numbers like the sing along Magnetic and the chiming One Hit (To The Body).
Hot Breath - Rubbery Lips (The Sign Records)
Firstly let me say that Rubbery Lips is not a tribute to Rolling Stones frontman Mick Jagger. It is the debut album by Swedish garage rockers Hot Breath. Their band name sounds filthy (though I suppose they could have been called Halitosis) and it's a the ideal reflection of their down n dirty rock n roll taking from the Detroit rock scene of the 60's and the London rock scene of the 70's. Fronted by the choppy guitar and sneering vocals of Jennifer Israelsson, Hot Breath can be summed up with numbers like the sing along Magnetic and the chiming One Hit (To The Body).
It's just filthy rock n roll in its purest form Israelsson backed by the lead guitars of Karl Edfeldt adding some abandon on Adapted Mind and the harmonics throughout. There's also the driving rhythm section of Anton Frick Kallmin (bass) and Jimmy Karlsson (drums) who drive What You're Looking For, I've Already Found the Billy Idol meets desert rock of Who's The One. Following on from a punchy EP, Rubbery Lips is a riotous rock n roll record from these Swedes, perfect for when the beer gardens reopen. 7/10
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