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From the band that has more side projects than one can keep track of, Dream Theater, comes yet another release. This time is vocalist James LaBrie’s time to show the world his own side of musical individuality. Mullmuzzler showcases LaBrie’s amazing pipes, as well as his hidden talent for writing tasty music with plenty prog chops. Now, I have no idea how the songwriting for this album came about – LaBrie is given credit for every song, but no specifics about what he contributed to them. Still, being his solo record, I’m sure he had quite a say in the developing of the nine songs herein enclosed. The disc opens with “His Voice,” which displays a lot of character. It opens with a neat keyboard riff, with the guitars and drums quickly joining in. It is not really like Dream Theater, it’s moodier, I guess. Yet it stands firmly in prog territory. La Brie’s vocals go back to the pristine quality of his performance in Images & Words, which is IMO the best album ever, although the music is not quite there. Very good, but not a dent to what DT accomplished in their classic disc. “Statues” is a bit more modern in approach, although highly melodic and yet again, LaBrie’s vocals are smoother than we’ve heard of him recently. The song is heavy, but not menacing – rather the contrary, it’s pretty approachable – a proof that this man is an unsung hero of prog rock/metal. Keyboardist Matt Guillory shines here with his fast and meaty licks. “Shores of Avalon” begins with a lush intro and maintains a slow groove throughout. Featuring LaBrie’s hushed melodies, where he almost whispers the verses yet attcks the chorus with full force. If you’re a fan of his voice, you’ll love his performance here. The song has the overall feel of Dream Theater’s Awake but still manages to keep its own sound. Again, the keyboard theatrics of Guillory give the song a prog edge that is as current and inventive as few bands can accomplish these days. Perhaps the only song I really can’t seem to get into is the very odd “Beelzebubba.” Maybe it’s the weird musical shifts or the harsh political commentary of the lyrics – specially coming from someone who’s not American. Heck, maybe I just don’t care enough. But for some reason it doesn’t seem to mesh well with the rest of the songs. Now, “Guardian Angel” blew my mind away. The monotone guitar riff and LaBrie’s whispering threw me off a bit, yet the band kicks in after the first verse, driving the song into melodic ecstasy. A rather straight forward rocker, this one is restrained, yet works so perfectly that it’s one of the highlights of the disc. The pace slows down for the lullaby-ish “Sacrifice.” Contributing to the allure of the beautiful melody and guitar/keyboard approach are captivating and telling lyrics. The song has the narrator telling his wife (or loved one) how he’ll take care of her during her moments of frailty. The rest of Dream Theater should really start to pay more attention to what LaBrie has to say. “Lace” is probably the most proggy song on here. Although it clocks in at a mere four and a half minutes, it has plenty of chops and surprises. Mike Mangini’s drum work stands out with his stop-start technique that works quite effectively with the guitar riff. One of the most beautiful ballads I’ve heard in a while, both musically and lyrically comes in the shape of “Slow Burn.” The guitar and keyboard mold this song with their luxurious arpeggios. Yet another highlight of the album. The beginning of “As a Man Thinks” is rather reminiscent of Queen’s harmonies – yet once the music kicks in, we’re treated to a very cool, funky rhythm that slows down for a Yes-like interlude. This is such an experimental tune that it puts LTE’s discs to shame – rather than a shred-fest, LaBrie and his guests give us a song that makes you want to jump up and dance, then turn it around and hit us with a few quiet moments. This is certainly a must-have for all fans of LaBrie’s work with DT. Even if it’s a nice departure from their heaviness, it still provides plenty of musicality and challenging passages to keep the fans of the more prog sides of DT’s music happy and, more importantly, interested. ----Released in 1999 by Magna Carta | Tracklist: His Voice, Statued, Shores of Avalon, Beelzebubba, Guardian Angel, Sacrifice, Lace, Slow Burn, As a Man Thinks
On their eighth (?) studio release, first for Kalodner’s Portrait label, Great White pulls very few punches, but keeps old fans happy. For most of the length of this album, the bluesy rockers keep their fins in familiar waters. If you’re a fan, you know what to expect, and you’ll get it too. Yet, this will not attract new listeners – if you haven’t been hooked before, this ain’t gonna do it. (Sorry for the excessive fish imagery, I can’t help mysellf!) Highlights include the fourth or sixth remake of “Once Bitten Twice Shy,” “Rollin’ Stoned.” It’s a cool rocker, but they’ve done it before, many many times before. “Ain’t No Shame,” “Sister Mary” and “Hey Mister” are all slower paced rockers, featuring cool bluesy licks and vocals. They all have that Great White signature sound. The finest moment, however, is the very laid-back “Loveless Age,” which reminds me of the band’s finest moments on “…Twice Shy.” Great performance! One more thing though, someone should tell Don Dokken to stop writing music. He ruined the last few Dokken albums (although I admit there wasn’t that much to ruin to begin with) and now he’s messing with other bands’ sounds. One of the songs he co-wrote here, “Gone to the Dogs,” is just awful. It doesn’t fit the album at all. “Wooden Jesus” is a bit better, but still not up to par. Time’s up, Dokken. All in all, an entertaining effort for fans only. No surprises, no raised eye-brows. If the boys haven’t caught your attention yet, there’s plenty o' fish left in the ocean for you. ----Released in 1999 by Portrait/Sony | Tracklist: Rollin’ Stoned, Ain’t No Shame, Silent Night, Saint Lorraine, In the Tradition, Freedom Song, Gone to the Dogs, Wooden Jesus, Sister Mary, Loveless Age, Psychedelic Hurricane, Hey Mister |
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