LABEL: ESCAPE MUSIC ESM 041
OVERALL: 80%
Produced by: Geatros & Steele
OVERALL: 80%
Produced by: Geatros & Steele
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LABEL: ESCAPE MUSIC ESM 041 OVERALL: 80% Produced by: Geatros & Steele | ||||
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Double Dealer is the latest album from Escape and is another fine gem of a release. This time it's back towards the harder edge hard rock sound of albums like Silent Witness and Firefly rather than the more softer AOR feel of Change Of Heart and Message. But the style falls safely within the comfort zone for fans of Escape Music's style of AOR releases. The band is a new discovery out of Vancouver, Canada. Vocalist David Steele is a singer/songwriter who has worked with the likes of Bob Jovi, Def Leppard and Marc LaFrance. He also co-wrote the Loverboy tune Goodbye Angel off the 6 album. Guitarist Kenny Geatros is David's partner and is one hell of a guitarist. The album certainly knows how to deliver some hard edged punchy rock n roll. Basically, a good fun party rock album. The Bio reads that the band mix the best of Extreme, Van Halen and Mr Big. While there are parts of those bands present - this style of hard rock more reminds me of bands like Slaughter. | ||
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Jammin' In The Jungle is great intro and a good fun hard rocker, with a little funky lead riff and some cool vocals. The verse has that Led Zeppelin Black Dog feel to it. What Fires Your Imagination is a fast paced good time hard rocker. Stickin' My Love is similar. A hard edge riff leads off a slightly more restrained and melodic rock track. But still totally tongue in cheek. There is a little Dave era Van Halen feel in these tracks. Keep Your Hands To Yourself is again uptempo rock, but even funkier. I am beginning to sense a little of the Electric Boys good fun hard rock vibe here. Show Some Mercy sees that Van Halen guitar influence again. Although the vocals aren't a match for Dave's - the vibe sure is! In My Arms Again is the first let up in pace since this hard rock onslaught began. This ballad is pretty damn cool. The vocals are very reminiscent of Heavy Bones. Good solid guitar riff that opens the tune and some fine melodic backing vocals in the chorus. Hot Shot heads straight back to uptempo party rock mode. More Extreme like rock sounds. David Steele has some pretty diverse vocal talents. This tune reminds me a little of the party rock sound of Party In My Pocket by King Of The Hill. Passion is much the same. Not as catchy as some of the other tracks. Another varied vocal though! Cries Of Love is hard and a little funky again. Mid paced, this one's OK, with some blues vocals that sound a little Joe Lynn Turner maybe. Heaven's On Fire is mellower, but still rocks out in the chorus. And leading in to the last track of the album, just as you are convinced the best is behind you - comes the killer track of the album! Freedom is a killer mid paced AOR ballad. Big hooks and some great melodies - this track is the most AOR of the whole album. A few more tracks like this would have been killer, but the album is still very good anyway. The albums' finest moments are no doubt in the first half, but Freedom gives great indication that there will be more great music from these guys in the future. | PRODUCTION: 83% | SONGS: 80% | VIBE: 81% | ATTITUDE: 80% | ESSENTIAL FOR: American style hard rock fans. Fans of good fun hard egded guitar albums. |