LABEL: POLYDOR JAPAN POCP-7326
OVERALL: 87%
Produced by: Not Listed
OVERALL: 87%
Produced by: Not Listed
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LABEL: POLYDOR JAPAN POCP-7326 OVERALL: 87% Produced by: Not Listed | ||||
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This album could seem as a hastily prepared tribute to Cozy after his sudden and upsetting death last year. But it was the album Cozy was working on at the time of his death and had finished enough drum parts to finish the album off. It features a few great talents. On vocals is the awesome John West. A highly under rated singer and unlucky not to get the Journey job. Still, this guy will soon be recognized and be drafted into some super group. Neil Murray is the ever impressive bass player on the whole album. Always great to hear the rhythm combo of Murray & Powell. Just witness the Brian May band live. Mike Casswell handles all the guitar duties on Especially For You. Lonnie Parks is the hired hand on keyboards when needed and Mike Burns makes a couple of cameo's. I am not sure what to compare the sound of this album to. Be sure that the production is first rate and the sound tight and as full as any big budget recording. It is definitely a blues based hard rock album, with plenty of melody and thanks to John West a fairly contemporary sound, while remaining true to 70's and 80's hard rock. I guess there is a blend of Deep Purple, Rainbow, Whitesnake and plenty of sharp technical guitar riffs courtesy of Mike Casswell. But also a digree of originality. | ||
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Basically the best parts of European flavored hard rock can offer. Man With A Mission is a fine hard rocker. Not frantic in pace, but really a really solid tune. Vocally, West is more in Glenn Hughes rock vein than his Perry like vocal duties as Ivory Towers will no doubt confirm for you. A hint of The Way It Is? Why Does Love Hurt is a huge big power rock ballad. Again Hughes like, it has a monster drum rhythm and a fine European rock feel. Cool guitar solo. Haunted By The Devil is a Yngwie like instrumental number. Normally not the ideal spot for an instrumental, but quite enjoyable. Nice spotlight on the drums. Doing The Natural Thing is a big blues number. Casswell does some nice slide to introduce the track and then West supplies his best Joe Lynn Turner / Hughes blues drawl. The song heads more straight ahead rock in the chorus and back to a blues verse. Big guitar solo and again a strong emphasis on the drums. All I Wanted Was Your Love is a superb track. A Foreigner like power ballad, with the addition of keyboards, in the vein of I Want To Know What Love Is. West moves more into Perry mode and supplies a great vocal - check out the high notes. Great hook. Call Me Mayhem is a mid paced, straight ahead rock track with a feel similar to the Hughes lead Phemonena albums. The Light is a more light weight uptempo pop rock song. Makes for a nice tempo change. High Time To Fly is another fairly light track, but more uptempo. Closest thing to an AOR anthem on the album. Make You A Man is a strong blues rocker. Mid paced and heavy. Power In The Wrong Hands adds to the hard rocking Make You A Man. Another great tough rocker. You're All I Believe In ends the album with a beautiful heartfelt ballad. A great way to end the album and another class vocal performance from John West. From an album I had no expectation of, I am really impressed with the production, the sound and most of all, the killer vocals from John West. A man who's records I am yet to own, but will now investigate with haste! This is also a fitting tribute to Powell, as the drum tracks are prominent in the mix and the songs first rate. Although the packaging does suck. It could have better reflected the music with a fitting tribute with photo's ect. Minor point... RIP Cozy... | PRODUCTION: 85% | SONGS: 88% | VIBE: 87% | ATTITUDE: 88% | ESSENTIAL FOR: Rainbow / European style hard rock fans. Cozy Powell and John West fans. |