Post by cozyal on Jun 30, 2009 5:55:11 GMT -5
Last year, Michael Schenker pulled together, most of the original players from his debut Michael Schenker Group release, to record the very strong In the Midst of Beauty release, which I have on further listens thought it was probably more deserving of a 4/5 mark scoring.
It was good to hear the familiar vocals of perhaps one of the better MSG vocalists, if not the best in Gary Barden (IMHO - In My Humble Opinion.).
Well, so it continues with Schenker & Barden releasing another gem in Gipsy Lady, which although it’s neither a full blown electric project, it’s not simply acoustic guitars & vocals.
Schenker takes credit for all the music & gives Barden credit for all the lyrical content here, add to that the superb production & engineering skills of one Michael Voss & it really works to make this release very enjoyable!
Let’s not, of course take away the excellent contributions of Voss playing bass, keyboards as well as other guitars & controlling the orchestral arrangements & adding backing vocals (Did I already mention this guy is good?!) & Kai Luennemann completes the line up here on percussion.
Schenkers previous acoustic outings have typically been simply instrumental, which really targeted only his more guitar player fans than perhaps the rest of the rock music community that have otherwise followed his playing.
Opening with Lost, which actually sounds like it wouldn’t be out of place on an album by Michael’s original employers the Scorpions. It’s a very, very laid back & well structured likeable track. I really like the female harmony in the bridge just before the 1st chorus. It’s a very subtle harmony, but sounds good.
Dance Lady Gipsy starts with a female Latino vocal, before getting into a semi flamenco style track, a little more up tempo than the opening track. Castanets present here where it stops for a moment along with flamenco hand claps & very smooth harmony vocals throughout, along with further vocal phrasing from the young lady.
All of My Life is quite different, although it brings to mind some elements of early Schenker UFO material.
It’s great musically, but perhaps not such a hook laden vocal track as the previous two here.
Now in Fight for Freedom next, it’s a track I just love, great vocally & almost kind of folksy with some flute, almost drum & pipe type folksy sound, kind of Celtic track. Nice work.
El Grande is a beautiful Schenker instrumental piece.
Starting Over is generally an up tempo track that is alright, but I guess doesn’t really seem to go anywhere.
Unplugged familiar sounding MSG at work in Can’t Live On Love Alone, with hints of Schenkers UFO / Scorpions influences present. Kind of chug along, slowly building & fantastic, huge harmony vocal work here. Love this.
Next is Another Melody with a nice piano intro, then strings build the song up with Barden’s vocals before Mr. Schenker comes in to enhance things more. The piano accompaniment to Schenker’s acoustic playing is seriously great to hear on this track & throughout. It’s also testament to Schenkers ability as a typically flashy electric player to be able to put it across equally as well on acoustic. Not many flash players often show this, but from Schenkers typical melodic style, he’s really got it mastered.
Travelled So Far is another track though that I guess is pleasant enough, but really doesn’t elaborate on that too much more.
Then Hungry is something different with an almost 60’s type folk feel, but more contemporary & huge harmony vocal support to Barden, say along the lines of a massive power ballad, but Barden’s voice seems to lose a little something near the end, that spoils it a little, otherwise a great song.
Throughout the album there’s this kind of semi renaissance feel to the project, maybe Schenkers been listening to Blackmore’s Night a little! This is evident in Night Of The Stare, again I’m extremely impressed with Michael acoustic technique & love hearing his style played acoustically.
The last track here, The Journey starts with a little flute that almost conjures up an image of one of those old civil war movies with the soldiers marching and the guy on flute leading them along, but that’s really only the lead in.
Schenker takes control then, with a beautiful masterpiece accompanied by string sounds & percussive sounds, for the atmospheric edge. The flute comes to the fore again right at the end. Brilliant closer!
All said & done a different release unexpected to many after his return to top rock form last year, but it’s a pleasant surprise, very listenable & certainly a grower for sure.
There’s little not to like, if you’re a fan of unplugged material with a varied feel.
Will his rock fans like it, well, if they are fans of the Thank You releases, they should love the expansion to that here. Making up for last years underscoring initially, this in a different way is certainly a 4/5 for me.
Alun Williams
