LABEL: MTM MUSIC 199665
OVERALL: 71%
Produced by: Mark Mangold
OVERALL: 71%
Produced by: Mark Mangold
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LABEL: MTM MUSIC 199665 OVERALL: 71% Produced by: Mark Mangold | ||||
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Mystic Healer is the product of Mark Mangold from American Tears, Touch, Drive She Said, Flesh & Blood and now solo fame.
He is a class song writer that has helped out on records with the likes of Michael Bolton, Cher, Kiss and Bon Jovi. This album is the result of many song writing sessions left over the years and has been re-recorded with the aid of a new vocalist Todd Googins. The material was all written by Mangold with the aid of Jack Ponti, Michael Bolton, Al Fritsch, Tamara Champlin and Aldo Nova. Guests come thick and fast on Mystic Healer. they include Al Fritsch, Chuck Bonfante, Randy Jackson, Bob Kulic, Tony Bruno, Michael Bolton and Tamara Champlin. so as you can see it is quite an AOR love fest. But most importantly..to the songs! Mystic Healer is classic Mangold style AOR and deeply rooted into mid to late 80's keyboard AOR. Lots of atmosphere and keys and guitars and backing vocals. Crossed My Heart opens the album. Most would have heard this from the MTM sampler. One of the best tunes from the album, the songs soars in glorious pure AOR form. | ||
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If You Ever Fall is very Drive She Said, like many of the songs here. A chorus that is big while not going over the top and a blend of keys and guitars that is quite rocky. Tonight has that classic AOR anthem feel to it as it builds but when it gets there, the chorus remains fairly straight forward. You Hold My Heart is firmly in AOR ballad territory. I cool moody ballad that is quite laid back, but with nice effect. You Never Know With Magic is OK and Standing In The Line Of Fire is a good melodic tune. I am The One and Never Say Never are also solid tunes. It is during this point however that I begin to feel like the tracks are a little too familiar and the same-ish. The vocals of Todd Googins also begin to grate a little. While being an admirable singer, I feel that his sound is a little one dimensional and doesn't vary his voice, sound or delivery much. The rest of the tracks are all solid enough, but like Isaid tend to blend into one sound. This album disappoints me a little overall, although I think fans of pure 80's AOR and especially Mark Mangold's previous work will find plenty to like in this. However I rate Mangold's work in Touch and Drive She Said both better than this. Not bad, but not essential. | PRODUCTION: 66% | SONGS: 72% | VIBE: 70% | ATTITUDE: 73% | ESSENTIAL FOR: All Touch, Drive She Said and Mark Mangold fans |