Then there are the rockers: "Babylon," "Gather Up the Snow," "Soul Disease," "Lava On My Tongue." They may not be head banging, but they feature some rocking guitar riffs. Sure they have a more pop rock vibe, but I can't fault them for that. "Take the Bullet," for example, opens with a bullet barrage from drummer Ken Koudelka that drives through to the climax. The drums become a kind of audio metaphor. It is nicely done. If someone has done it before (and I don't know that anyone has), it is nicely done nonetheless. Something similar happens in "Caged In" where the music and lyrics mesh metaphorically in tonal frustration.
The Louisiana Music Hall of Fame band has discovered itself a new vocal lead for this eleventh album—Brian Jones, and he's a winner. He has a voice that blends perfectly with Blaze's songs. This is not to say that previous lead singers fell short; it is simply to note that Jones can do the job, and he can do it with style. Guitarist Sam Poitevent and bassist Eric Morris round out a very tight band.
Article comments
1 - Joel
Great review. Thanks!