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Sounding a lot like a lighter Gravity Kills, Alston
infuses formulaic rock with a purpose by bringing good hooks and vibes
to the table. Everything is picture perfect on this album, showing
well polished material, cleverly constructed changes and accurate
blending of instruments... all of which I credit to producers Edie
Wohl and Rob Caggiano, the latter of Anthrax fame.
The album just oozes the experience that both of these gentlemen bring
with a discerning ear to rein in structure and create a distinctive
flow which ebbs with the record; here heavy and energy-laden; there
light and melodic. Moreover, the entire record is a copasetic amalgamation
which shows a nod to the whole.
Unfortunately, the mediocre quality of the songwriting doesn't carry
the album to that next level of stellar. While there are worthy hooks
with some very righteous guitar lines, it almost feels half-assed
like there is no real drive. The closest they get are on the heavier
songs "Recon Seed" and "2 & Ten Low" and the
less heavy but equally interested Hidden Song 1 on Track 11. Beyond
that, the most determination expressed in a song is in the cover of
"Rebel Yell". Ouch, that's always a bad sign when a cover
song is better than the majority of the record.
While this album isn't utterly crap in any way, it veers towards
that "dime-a-dozen" category which you could take or leave
depending upon your tastes. To me it is worth it for the songs mentioned
above, all the rest are just filler.
-bishop
Track listing:
1) Recon Seed
2) Anna
3) Rock Star
4) Ordinary
5) Why We Fight
6) A Gold Guitar
7) Orange Freezes
8) Rebel Yell
9) Carried Away
10) 2 & Ten Low
11) Voodoo For Fun And Profit + (Hidden Song 1 & 2)
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