Post by rtbuck on Dec 18, 2007 11:44:42 GMT -5
Kim Mitchell – Ain’t Life Amazing
Label : Lighting Lobster Limited
Review by Bucky for Rock n Roll Universe
Kim Mitchell is back with his first studio release since 1999’s ‘Kimosabe’. ‘Ain’t Life Amazing’ marks Mitchell’s 8th solo release since his departure & break-up of his former band Max Webster & is what I feel is his strongest release to date. I have listened to this CD at least five times since purchasing it & I’ve got to say that there is not one weak track on this album. The album grabs you from the opening title track & holds on until the final hidden track ”Fill Your Head With Rock”(which comes about 30 seconds after the final cut “N’awlin Nights). One of the strongest tracks on the album is a in your face kick ass cover of “I Got a Line on You” from the late Randy California’s band, Spirit. Kim’s slick guitar work is superb throughout the entire CD & really stands out on every track. His guitar work on “Dream Thieves” is classic Kim Mitchell almost revisiting riffs from Max Webster’s “Beyond the Moon”. “Bad Times” is a total rocker much in the same vein as Mitchell’s “Rock & Roll Duty” & “Space” keeps the momentum of the CD pushing forward as Kim yells out “…But You Never Give Me Any Space!”. “In the Stars Tonight” opens with a phenomenal solo & it also features a spacey sounding guitar solo that reminds me a bit of the solo in Red Ryder’s 80’s hit “Lunatic Fringe”. Kim shows he means business on “Killer’s Name” as this is probably the strongest tune on the album featuring a thumping bassline, great guitars, a strong rhythm, & some great lyrics(“…I never speak the Killers name unless he plays guitar…”. The kind of funky “Lick a Message” might’ve fit in great on ZZ Top’s ‘Deguello’ album but with classic signature Kim Mitchell sound to it.
The final track on the album is “N’awlin Nights” (which is a actually about New Orleans) has a catchy hook that brings me back to “Big Best Summer” off Kim’s
First solo E.P.. If you are a fan of any of Kim’s previous work,either solo or Max Webster, pick this up you won’t be disappointed as this is probably one of the best albums I’ve heard in 2007.
Bucky