SAXON – Call To Arms

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call to armsSaxon has always been one of Britain’s hardest working rock bands. They’ve had shifting line-ups over the years, band members have come and gone (and in the case of drummer Nigel Glockler, come back again…twice!), but at the heart of it all frontman Biff Byford and guitarist Paul Quinn have strived to push the band ever onward, never giving up. Although still best known to many for their early 80s work, the band worked on tirelessly, releasing albums at regular intervals and playing live shows. After 1990’s ‘Solid Ball of Rock’, Saxon’s popularity waned in the UK, though they retained a strong following in Europe. Their 90s album’s aren’t always essential listening, but in the 21st century, the band eventually got somewhat of a second wind.

2004’s ‘Lionheart’ presented the band in an incredibly good light, while 2007’s ‘The Inner Sanctum’ and 2009’s ‘Into The Labyrinth’ featured similarly decent songs and strong musicianship. The line up of Byford (vocals), Quinn (guitar), Glockler (drums), Nibbs Carter (bass) and Doug Scarratt (guitar) which drove the latter two albums (and also Saxon’s 1997 release ‘Unleash The Beast’) is arguably the strongest line-up the band has ever had – and their work on 2011’s ‘Call To Arms’ goes a long way to cementing that opinion.

The choppy riffs which power ‘Hammer of The Gods’ resemble Saxon’s early 80s work (although slightly meatier) and as such have a classic 80s metal sound, but beneath those riffs, Nibbs Carter’s pounding bass sound gives everything a great boost (that bass in turn given a boost by a particularly loud production job, courtesy of Biff Byford and ex-Little Angels/Gun man Toby Jepson). While it doesn’t bring anything especially new or surprising to the Saxon catalogue, it makes a strong opening number. The title cut finds Biff’s songwriting in good shape as he tells of a soldier going off to serve in the First World War. The emotional lyrical content is given a suitably epic musical arrangement, with plenty of clean guitar work and a very melodic vocal on its verses, before a chugging riff appears on its chorus sections. Even though it doesn’t quite tug the heart-strings in the same way as Lemmy’s similar tale on Motörhead’s ‘1916’, lyrically, this is superb – one of the album’s best songs. Also taking on a fairly epic stance, ‘When Doomsday Comes’ offers chunky riffs served up with a slightly eastern vibe. The band sound tight here and the balance between hard edges and melody is pitched just right. The faster sections bring with them a couple of great solos, while the slower moments provide a base for Biff’s very confident vocal. The staccato keyboard and strings which bring the eastern elements are bound to conjure thoughts of Led Zeppelin’s brilliantly monolithic ‘Kashmir’, but it’s not plagiaristic by any means.

Like ‘Denim and Leather’ and ‘And The Bands Played On’ before it, ‘Back In 79’ is a song which celebrates the union of band and fans (and the fans are something Saxon have never taken for granted); and in this case, Biff’s storytelling centres on the early touring experiences and how those audiences were really supportive. The riff is meaty, but it’s a simple chorus of “show me your hands” which is designed to stick in your head long after listening. Another recurring theme in Saxon’s work – standing your ground and taking on the world – reappears here in a storming 80s-style metal workout ‘Surviving The Odds’, which in addition to a really bracing hard rock riff and good vocal, features a rattling bassline from Carter. Occasionally lapsing into a riff which sounds a lot like ‘Western Eyes’ by Jan Cyrka, ‘Afterburner’ celebrates the power of the jet-fighter, which is given a suitably rousing arrangement, possibly the album’s heaviest (certainly it’s fastest). The riffs are intense enough, but after a few plays, it doesn’t offer too much beyond those. While Biff puts in a fine performance and Glockler’s drumming is powerful, in terms of songwriting, it’s not as good as some of the material here.

‘Mists of Avalon’ is a fantastic number which carries more of the spirit of Saxon’s mid-80s melodic experimentation. As the track fades in, Quinn can be heard using a smooth, clean tone. His work here, which recurs throughout the track between the bigger riffs, is evocative of his work on ‘Nightmare’ from Saxon’s ‘Power and the Glory’ album. It’s a style which is very welcome indeed. Most of the track is based around a very solid riff, but it’s the featured solos which provide the best moments, with both Quinn and Scarratt on top form. In addition to this, Biff is in great voice (one of his best performances on this album) and – guesting on keyboards – ex-Rainbow/Deep Purple man Don Airey adds plenty of extra texture. Also edging towards the more melodic, ‘Ballad of a Working Man’ features swaggering riffs, which occasionally tip the hat to Thin Lizzy with their twin lead sound. For those looking for “classic” Saxon, this track more than delivers, sounding very much like the best moments of their ‘Denim and Leather’ and ‘Strong Arm of The Law’ albums.

Biff Byford believes ‘Call To Arms’ to be one of Saxon’s best albums – and he may be right; it’s certainly very consistent, with nothing which could be regarded as filler. It’s an album rooted in the old-school – at times more celebratory of Saxon’s past than some of its immediate predecessors – but that’s where most of its charm lies. And although its eleven numbers represent a band sticking to what they know best, Saxon still sound extremely vibrant some thirty-two years and nineteen studio albums into their professional career. There aren’t too many bands who can claim that after so long.

June 2011

ELECTRIC BOYS – And Them Boys Done Swang

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and them boys done swangAs part of the funk metal boom of the very early 90s, Sweden’s Electric Boys were briefly MTV stars, thanks to their singles ‘All Lips ‘n’ Hips’ and ‘Electrified’ and Bob Rock produced debut album ‘Funk-O-Metal Carpet Ride’. These things never last though, and by the time of their second album, 1992’s ‘Groovus Maximus’, the band had modified their sound. They eschewed some of their earlier funk-metal tendencies and in places – on tracks like ‘Mary In The Mystery World’ especially – indulged in a few Beatles style influences. This was probably encouraged by the fact that the album was recorded in London at the now legendary Abbey Road Studios. Some fans wanting ‘Funk-O-Metal Carpet Ride’ volume two were disappointed, and by the time the third Electric Boys album ‘Freewheelin’ was released in 1994, the band’s popularity had decreased even farther (especially in the UK).

The band broke up soon afterwards, with permanent fixture Conny Bloom moving on to other projects. During this time, he spent four years as a member of Hanoi Rocks as well as performing alongside The Wildhearts’ frontman Ginger in his side-band Silver Ginger 5. Following the release of a ‘best of’ album in 2009, Bloom reformed Electric Boys – with the original ‘Funk-O-Metal’ line-up (featuring bassist Andy Christell, guitarist Franco Santunione and drummer Niclas Sigevall). Live shows were played and eventually the four musicians returned to the studio.
The resulting album, ‘And Them Boys Done Swang’ is not a completely shameless return to the funk-metal grooves of 1990, though it’s probably the closest in spirit the band have ever come to recreating the magic of ‘Funk-O-Metal Carpet Ride’. Across twelve cuts, they blend hard rock, blues rock and occasional Hendrix-isms with a slabs funk, creating something which sounds like a heady mix of all of their previous musical dabblings on one release.

‘Reeferlord’ combines a heavy, fast guitar riff with a blues-rock aggression on its choruses and bridges, while on the verses the band give a nod to the past with funky verses, driven by rattling bass strings. Via a shameless rock ‘n’ roll guitar solo and shouty gang vocals, there’s a feeling that Bloom and co could be over-compensating, but their brashness allows them to get away with it. The groove laden rock feel carries on through ‘My Heart is Not For Sale’, a track that owes a great debt to Aerosmith with a swaggering riff. There’s a bigger focus on rhythmic qualities than big hooks, but even so, it comes with a great riff and solo – and here, that’s all you need. The bizarrely named ‘Father Popcorn’s Magic Oysters’ (“popcorn” surely a tribute to James Brown?) pays homage to two elements of Electric Boys’ musical past. The guitar riffs are funky with a tough end sound, proving that although the funk metal concept is somewhat dated, it sounds much better without the trebly, late 80s production most of it came with at the time. Vocally though, the harmony filled chorus is far more in line with the Beatles obsessed material from ‘Groovus Maximus’. Also, if you’re looking for riffs, ‘Angel in an Armoured Suit’ has plenty of swagger (once again), alongside another solid chorus.

‘The Day The Gypsies Came to Town’ indulges the band’s blues-rock side, with a number which may suit Stevie Salas. It’s core sound comes from a circular Hendrix style riff, overlaid with a great drum shuffle which occasionally resembles Hendrix’s own ‘Manic Depression’. Despite some great, busy playing on the verses, there’s not much of a hook to be heard here, since the chorus just decends into some multi-layered voices. With a few great multi-tracked guitars and solos, it still has enough decent elements to pull it through, though. ‘Welcome To The High Times’ is a stand out, especially if the funky sounds of Electric Boys are your thing. The guitar riffs are fairly monstrous, but it’s during the verses where the magic occurs, with those big riffs giving way to staccato choppiness, gang vocals and a rattling bassline. The end result is more than reminiscent of fellow Swedes Its Alive in an aggressive mood. The solid bottom end returns for ‘Sometimes U Gotta Go Look For The Car’, a funk-jam laden with wah-wah guitars. Since it’s largely instrumental, it gives the band plenty of room to stretch out; and while the grooves are the best feature, Bloom’s blues rock soloing creeping in here and there should not be overlooked.

#‘Ten Thousand Times Goodbye’ is the closest the album gets to a ballad; it’s harmonious chorus recalls those more psychedelic parts of ‘Groovus Maximus (never the Electric Boys’ strongest work), while musically it’s fairly workmanlike, occasionally sounding like an Enuff Z’nuff cast-off – it’s the kind of stuff which filled MTV rock ballads in those days of yore… Without question, the biggest nod to the Electric Boys’ past comes from ‘Rollin Down The Road’ which, in part, turns those funk-metal grooves up to 11, brings in a horn section and delivers a decent sized punch. While the instrumental breaks are slightly reminiscent of Extreme circa 1991, the chorus takes a u-turn and is of the rather more standard rock variety, with no trace of funk whatsoever.

‘And Them Boys Done Swang’ is well produced and well played throughout, easily Electric Boys’ best offering since ‘Funk-O-Metal Capet Ride’ (although, to be fair, there’s not much competition). Absolutely drenched in attitude and retro-cool vibes, it’s the closest you’re likely to get to a follow up to Its Alive’s ‘Earthquake Visions’. A surprisingly consistent and highly recommended disc.

May 2011

SKANSIS – Leaving You

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PhotobucketAccording to their press release, Swiss hard rockers Skansis “caused a stir in the rock world” and gathered “rave reviews” with their first album, ‘Taking Your Chance’. In reality the “rock world” to which this band’s press release refers, is merely a relatively small neighbourhood’s worth of specialist melodic rock websites. And of course, those sites are well within their rights to get excited about whatever melodic rock comes their way, but from the outside looking in, the melodic rock community is incredibly insular – with many fans choosing not to listen to music from other genres. Even allowing for such musical narrow-mindedness, why those sites would get excited about Skansis remains a mystery.

98% of melodic rock is old school and retro, but that doesn’t necessarily make it bad. However, even though some rock acts can still sound great despite having no interest in keeping up with 21st Century trends (Coldspell, Terry Brock, Whitesnake etc), some just don’t hit the mark at all. Sadly, Skansis are one of those bands. Their second album, ‘Leaving You’ features a couple of solid riffs, such as the chug which drives ‘I Want You’, or the fast paced romp through the title cut. There are even a few noteworthy solos (the twin lead from ‘Carry On Better’ being a particular high point), but an album cannot hold listener interest on a handful of decent-ish guitar based moments. Naturally, there needs to be strong, memorable songs and a classy vocalist too – and Skansis boasts neither of these essential melodic rock qualities.

The songwriting just isn’t very good, even verging on clichéd desperation in places (“We will rock all night / not call it a day / and we won’t fade away” and “Next to mine / I want your body now / ‘Cause I don’t wanna be alone” being particularly noteworthy) and vocalist Reto Reist has a scratchy voice which makes Skansis hard to listen to for any great length of time. Raspy can be cool – look at John Fogerty, Jimmy Barnes, or even Spike from The Quireboys on his better days – but Reist just can’t muster that level of bluesy hard rock edginess. Harsh, maybe, but he sounds like someone with an absolute lack of training; a gravelly throated pub “singer” who can barely hit any good notes. There are times when that is softened by a few backing harmonies, but it makes little difference to the end badness; on the ballady numbers, the vocal style seems so misjudged it beggars belief.

The bulk of Skansis’s music takes the form of a very second division sounding Euro hard rock. There are some solid old school guitar riffs here, it’s true – but on the whole, ‘Leaving You’ is average to poor. It certainly doesn’t offer anything your more demanding melodic hard rock fan would listen to more than a couple of times, let alone spend good money on.

May 2011

TEAM ME – Team Me EP

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PhotobucketWithin minutes of the opening number on Team Me’s debut EP, it’s obvious the release is something special. The Norwegian outfit’s brand of heavily orchestrated indie-pop may borrow influences from Arcade Fire and Mercury Rev, but they throw enough of their own style into the multi-layered arrangements to not sound like mere copyists.

‘Weathervanes and Chemicals’ opens the EP with one of Team Me’s strongest offerings. Beginning with a cymbal-less drum line and a barrage of strings, it has a pompy nature which is hard not to compare to Arcade Fire, especially so once a glockenspiel tops off the already busying arrangement. The track’s verses have a soft air, with touches of Flaming Lips and Mercury Rev before the chorus kicks in. While the chorus is wordless, it features a choir of voices which are very much reminiscent of those which dominate Red Box’s cult 80s album ‘The Circle and Square’. It is almost impossible not to get swept along with the hugeness and feel-good vibes Team Me put across here. By the song’s closing moments, the choir is overlaid by lots of electronic noise, drums and something which may well be a melodica. Sounds messy when described, but in reality, it’s a three minute burst of sunshine. Opening with a very 80s keyboard line, ‘Come Down’ has a slightly punchier atmosphere in places, it’s basic structure fitting neatly into the indie-rock pigeonhole; to keep things interesting, Team Me beef up the arrangement with almost as many layers as ‘Weathervanes’. The huge vocals and strings still provide the heart of Team Me’s sound, but it’s the addition of tinkling percussion (or keyboards approximating the sounds of bells) which provide one of the best elements on a number which was already fairly complex.

‘Dear Sister’ is quirky and full of gorgeous harmony vocals. Its main riff has a circular feel which barely stops throughout the track. Ringing string sounds lead into to something which sounds like it has about fifty layers, overlaid with a choir. While not as hugely appealing as ‘Weathervanes’, it’s still a number which captures Team Me’s multi-layered sound well. ‘Me and the Mountain’ begins with a stronger drum line, settling for a more basic pounding approach – which fills the instrumental breaks and chorus sections; for the verses, Team Me offer more of their heavily keyboard and string led atmospheres. The overall vibe has echoes of Mercury Rev once again, but the occasional harder edges make it sound like a Mercury Rev number that has been influenced by the grandiosity of Arcade Fire – which is not necessarily a bad thing. The closing number ‘Kennedy Street’ finds Team me in a far more laid back setting begins as an echoing guitar riff provides the basis of the number, over which the vocal finds a place for an equally unfussy melody. A harmony vocal joins for the chorus which rounds out the sound beautifully, lending everything an atmosphere which would make Mercury Rev proud they’d passed on so much influence. For the close of the track, a piano joins the arrangement and the drum which has been softly pulsing breaks into a rumble for the last few bars, overlaid by a different collection of vocal sounds – and just when you think we’re going in for a big climax, Team Me stop dead, naturally leaving you wanting so much more.

Team Me worked hard at making a name for themselves prior to this release, playing no fewer than eight Norwegian festivals in the summer of 2010, plus various other gigs along the way – including a couple of support slots with British Sea Power and The Wombats in London in February and March 2011. This EP sounds like the work of a band who’ve strived to get their sound – it’s seriously good, maybe even amazing. If you’ve ever had a passing fancy for The Flaming Lips, Mercury Rev or Arcade Fire, you need this. It’s probably the most exciting record to come from the orchestrated indie-pop niche since ‘The Beginning Stages…’ by The Polyphonic Spree.

May 2011

JOURNEY – Eclipse

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PhotobucketAlthough a relative late-comer to the fold, vocalist Steve Perry will always be synonymous with the classic Journey sound, having performed on all of the band’s hits and classic albums, from 1978 to 1996. After Perry’s departure, the band enlisted former Tall Stories/Tyketto frontman Steve Augeri to take over the role of vocalist. His work on 2001’s ‘Arrival’ was stellar but it did not last, with 2002’s ‘Red 13’ EP possibly being the worst thing in the Journey back catalogue to date. Augeri also appeared on the 2005 album ‘Generations’ but by then, in the UK at least, it seemed to be only the hardcore fans who were taking notice.

Augeri subsequently left Journey in 2006 and the legendary Jeff Scott Soto was hired to fill in the vacant position, a role he held until 2007 when Arnel Pineda took on the role of vocalist permanently. The resulting album (‘Revelation’, released in the same year; eventually becoming a platinum certified seller in the US) featured lots of the Journey magic which had been missing for the previous few years. However, Pineda has been accused of being a Perry clone and listening to ‘Revelation’, it’s easy to see why. The album even included a bonus disc of re-recorded classic Journey hits, with Pineda absolutely nailing the performances throughout.

Journey’s 2011 release (and second with Pineda upfront) is not ‘Revelation Part II’. For the most part, it represents Journey’s rockiest instincts; the side of Journey rarely heard on their more popular cuts. The opening number ‘City of Hope’ makes this abundantly clear as the band lay down a meaty arrangement over a brilliant ringing, circular guitar riff from guitarist Neal Schon. While heavy by Journey’s standards, it still has plenty of melody too, particularly on a harmony-fulled chorus, which despite the hard rock nature, sounds very much like a Journey chorus. Also, between the huge riffs, Deen Castronovo’s hard rock drumming and Ross Valory’s bottom end bass work, there’s still room in the mix for Jonathan Cain’s piano to cut through. At over six minutes, it’s a bit of an epic workout (as is a good proportion of this album), but nothing feels like padding. By the time Schon breaks into a guitar solo near the end, it’s a track which, frankly, rocks like a bastard. ‘Edge of the Moment’ is similarly hard edged, with some of Schon’s riffing holding a fair amount of power, but song-wise it’s not as appealing, since in places it feels a little chuggy for the sake of it. Despite this, Arnel Pineda is in particularly good voice, having found the confidence to sound like more his own man as opposed to a Steve Perry impersonator, and the chorus is another melodic high point.

‘Chain of Love’ hints at atmospherics with a piano intro, reverbed guitar sounds and a strong vocal performance, but then reverts to similar hard rock thrills as offered by the pair of opening cuts. This time though, Schon’s riff takes a slightly Eastern route with its approach, although probably more Lenny Wolf’s Kingdom Come than Led Zeppelin’s ‘Kashmir’. Journey should be commended with their ability to meld this into a full scale, harmony-driven chorus though, which sounds a little unexpected after such a pompous verse.

‘Eclipse’ may be harder than most Journey releases, but it’s not all bluster. ‘Tantra’, one of a few softer numbers, is a great showcase for Jonathan Cain’s piano style. The number begins with just voice and piano augmented by soft string sounds (in a ‘Faithfully’ style), before the rest of the band join a couple of minutes in. Schon’s guitar lines are gorgeous and the vocal harmonies are lavish, as they should be. Although most of ‘Eclipse’ doesn’t set out to emulate the older Journey numbers, this is one of a couple of numbers where they absolutely play it safe. Its predictable nature isn’t disappointing though – and it wouldn’t be a Journey album without something written in the Steve Perry vein. Also more “traditionally Journey”, ‘Anything Is Possible’ also really hits the mark, and in terms of melodic rock in its purest form, it is certainly ‘Eclipse’s stand out track. A solid drum line from Castronovo and shining piano motifs from Cain are joined by a fantastic performance from Pineda over a very much tried-and-tested, mid paced riff (the kind which usually accompanies AOR tunes called ‘Don’t Walk Away’). Schon’s guitar leads are full of vibrato-filled magic – which, in short, makes this a classic Journey number.

The semi-acoustic base of ‘She’s a Mystery’ also provides a little respite from the huge riffs, and also allows Pineda another opportunity to exercise the softer end of his range. Here, he reverts back to the kind of Steve Perry influenced performances he gave on ‘Revelation’, but with a slightly husky edge, more in keeping with Steve Augeri. This number’s simplicity is great, not even tarnished by a pre-programmed drum part; Schon proves, once again, he’s a master at all guitar styles, while Cain’s keyboard parts add a lot of atmosphere. Even here, though, Journey can’t resist lapsing back to solid hard rock riffing… The second half of the number adopts a slightly Led Zeppelin influenced riff, over which Schon breaks into a screaming solo until the track fades. Another highlight, ‘Someone’ is a bouncy pop-rock number capturing lots of the old Journey spirit. With 80s style stabbed piano and synths used in a shameless manner and Pineda in top form vocally, it would be great enough; but once Schon steps in with a sweeping solo (the kind which filled their ‘Escape’ and ‘Frontiers’ discs), this number has a sound which could convince the listener it had been left on the shelf from the band’s glory days.

Afer over an hour of surprisingly hard rock cuts, Journey offer an even fiercer closing statement. The instrumental cut ‘Venus’ opens with a few majestic guitar chords, overlaid by Cain striking some bass chords on his piano. Schon wastes no time in breaking into an overly complex solo which appears to feature more notes than expected, or perhaps even necessary, while Castronovo provides a ridiculously heavy backbone with his drum line dominated by double bass pedals. Symbolic of so much of ‘Eclipse’, this is Journey without a safety net.

‘Eclipse’ is not a great Journey album in the traditional sense. However, it is an absolutely stunning rock album in its own right. If you came looking for radio friendly songs in the vein of ‘Don’t Stop Believin’’, ‘Who’s Crying Now’ and ‘Be Good To Yourself’, you won’t find too many of those here, so you’ll be much better of investigating ‘Revelation’ if you’ve not done so already. If, however, you’re a huge fan of Neal Schon’s distinctive guitar work, hard riffs and extended arrangements, ‘Eclipse’ delivers more of those elements than any Journey release for years, maybe even ever. For those still bemoaning the absence of Steve Perry, be thankful for what you’ve got here – at least musically – and if you still don’t like what Arnel Pineda represents, be thankful that Journey didn’t hire Hugo.

May 2011