Check out my First album review! release on Thursday 25th of September. Thankyou to Pms Bull for the kind words! Michael Blackwell – Brave New Soul Having enjoyed reasonable local success with previous projects “Crows” and “Last Transmission”, Michael Blackwell had built up a reputation as an excellent guitarist, and based on many live shows, somewhat rock God. Top this off with a strong vocal presence and it would seam the future was to deliver quality hard rock with a melodic edge. However, with the release of “Brave New Soul”, Blackwell has grown exponentially as an artist, producing a debut solo album full of contrasting delights that appear to blend effortlessly despite their diversity. My Own Affliction kicks things off in catchy melodic style, lead single The Truth Is positively brims with nervous energy - the distorted production giving it a deliberately dramatic tone - contrasting starkly against the more mid paced “Midnight Drive” until that itself opens up in scale. Title track Brave New Soul has a mean vocal and an impossibly infectious riff that QOTSA would have been proud of and deserves to be equally as successful if ever released as a single, and the contrasts continue during Weathered - a song strangely reminiscent of the reincarnated Tears For Fears, and would in my opinion have graced their “Sowing The Seeds Of Love” album. The surprises just keep on coming, and with Euphoria we are treated to a George Michael style ballad – piano by Phil Richardson providing Billy Joel-esq accompaniment to a heartfelt lyric and touching vocal, immediately juxtaposed against the boisterous Lady Grey. As a whole then, this is an album full of engaging, well written and excellently performed material that - despite Michael warning me “Not to expect a heavy rock album” - catches you completely by surprise and provides an injection of much needed originality among the current stagnant rock/pop offerings of recent chart artists. Finally we come to Two Coins For My Eyes, and believe me when I say Im not overstating things, but this track is nothing short of STAGGERING in its beauty, scope and delivery. One of the finest closers I have ever heard, if you need any justification to buy this album, then this is it! The arrangement and production of this song are outstanding – soaring vocals and an emotionally charged lyric interwoven with a melody that builds layer upon layer of emotion with each passing minute. If ever I was stuck in a musical Groundhog Day, this would be part of the soundtrack to it. “Brave New Soul” is as strong a statement of intent as you will ever come across, and if there is any justice in this world will sell by the bucket load. Its an essential purchase. Catch the albums launch show next Thursday, the 25th September 2014 at Seaham Town Hall, doors at 8pm. (c) Paul Sinclair 2014
Posted on: Fri, 19 Sep 2014 11:45:09 +0000
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