a l b u m r e v i e w s


JIMMY BARNES / LOVE AND FEAR
LABEL: MUSHROOM AUSTRALIA
OVERALL: 66%
Produced by: Mark Opitz
  1. Love & Hate
  2. Time Will Tell
  3. By The Grace Of God
  4. Thankful For The Rain
  5. Temptation
  6. Love Song
  7. Do It To Me
  8. Love Gone Cold
  9. Heart Cries Alone
  10. Radio Song
  11. Blind Can't Lead The Blind
  12. Sorry
It used to be that the release of a Jimmy Barnes album was a major event. Over the last couple of releases it has somewhat subsided, maybe because the albums themselves haven't been as classic as the essential early albums such as Working Class Man and Freight Train Heart.
But this latest album came from nowhere, with little fan fare and little of the normal Barnes PR push.
The album was primarily written by Barnes and his wife Jane, in reflection of their long standing relationship and the turmoil - lows and high's that have come and gone.
It's an interesting twist and it certainly makes interesting listening.
But over all this album still lacks quality song writing in as far as there just isn't enough consistency to keep one's interest up over the 50 minute span of the album.
Jimmy still knows how to rock out and enjoy himself (Love & Hate) and he still has the ability to piece together a great heart wrenching ballad (Thankful For The Rain), but there are several other songs that shuffle along at an average pace. They are neither bad songs, nor essential ones.
As much as Jimmy is on record as hating the process of the Freight Train Heart writing sessions, he could well use the guiding hand of such veterans as Jon Cain and Neal Schon. For that album remains his best accomplishment.
The style of the album is closest to that of his last solo record Psyclone, plus the addition of some of INXS backing Jimmy musically on the album adds a certain toughness, but without killer songs, the album falls a little short of the mark.
BOTTOM LINE: Some high points and as usual some great vocal performances, but still falls a little short.
PRODUCTION: 80%SONGS: 55%VIBE: 65%ATTITUDE: 70%
ESSENTIAL FOR: Jimmy Barnes fans that own the entire catalogue. OZ rock fans.
DISCOGRAPHY:Bodyswerve . Working Class Man . Freight Train Heart . Barnstorming . Two Fires . Soul Deep . Heat . Flesh And Wood . Psyclone . Barnes Hits . Love And Fear

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