Friday, 3 May 2019

Burning Rain's 'Face the Music' - Album Review

When I was developing my musical tastes in my teenage years, one of my favourite guitarists was then-Whitesnake man Doug Aldrich. When I was about sixteen, I used to watch two concert DVDs over and over again and they were Whitesnake's Live...in the Still of the Night which was recorded in 2004 and Dio's Evil or Divine - Live in New York City which was recorded in 2002. Aldrich was the guitarist on both of these live releases and, while I was huge fans of many of the classic guitar heroes of the 1970s and 1980s, he provided me with a modern guitar force to idolise. His mix of heavy blues and 1980s-style shred is quite unlike anyone else out there, and I believe he has own recognisable sound. Just on the two DVDs mentioned he was playing songs from guitar legends such as Ritchie Blackmore, Bernie Marsden, Micky Moody, Mel Galley, John Sykes, Adrian Vandenberg, Steve Vai, Tony Iommi, Vivian Campbell, and Craig Goldy - yet managed to make each one sound like it was made for him. This is no mean feat, and I think it was seeing him tackling so many styles and songs that made such an impression on me. Aldrich remains one of my favourite guitar players, and I was very happy when I finally got to see him live with Whitesnake in 2013. Aldrich sadly left Whitesnake in 2014, but not before co-writing two excellent studio albums in 2008's Good to be Bad and 2011's Forevermore, as well as appearing on a plethora of live releases. After a stint with Glenn Hughes, Aldrich joined the rock supergroup The Dead Daisies in 2016 - a position he still holds. Despite an ever-increasing profile, especially here in the UK, The Dead Daisies are a band I find quite bland. They have written some good songs over the years, but I think they are one of the most generic rock bands going - making a name for themselves due to name recognition of many of their members past and present rather than their songwriting (in my opinion anyway). Even with Aldrich on board the band still fail to excite me, so I was resigned to the fact that I was unlikely to hear any great new songs from him for a while. His AOR side-project Revolution Saints, led by Deen Castronovo, has provided some excitement with their two albums and both include some excellent Aldrich guitar work, but being a Frontiers Records project band I doubt he actually had much of an impact on the songwriting - despite being credited on some of their songs. I was happy then when late last year it was announced that Aldrich was resurrecting one of his older bands Burning Rain, a band he formed back in 1998 with then-Montrose frontman Keith St. John. Aldrich and St. John have always been the core of Burning Rain, with rhythm sections coming and going over the years. This current incarnation of the band features bassist Brad Lang (Y&T; Ratt) and drummer Blas Elias (Slaughter; Trans-Siberian Orchestra), with the four putting together the fourth Burning Rain album Face the Music. It is the band's first album for six years, but the heavy blues rock sound forged on their earlier releases it still here in spades.

Burning Rain set their stall out right from the off with the heavy, bluesy strut of Revolution. The choppy riff that drives the song is a classic Aldrich moment, and St. John's soulful, yet powerful, delivery really takes the attitude the riff oozes and elevates things further. St. John is a very underrated rock vocalist in my opinion, and his performance throughout this album shows why he should be held in a higher regard. The verses here are full of swagger, and the simple chorus is full of long, drawn-out vocal notes that recall the blues rock classics of the past. In contrast, Aldrich's first of many guitar solos on the album is an explosion of speed. He can do the slower, bluesy style perfectly, but here he decides to launch into some chaotic shredding which generates some early excitement. The song is quite short, and over before you know it, but it sets the tone for the rest of the album perfectly and is a true statement of intent. Lorelei is a longer, more involved song that opens with some effects-heavy guitar notes, before Aldrich launches into a meaty mid-paced riff that forms the basis for the verses. The song's constant mid-pace, as well as the pounding drum performance from Elias, creates a real hypnotic groove that makes it an instant winner. The verses are very compelling here, and this is only helped by the excellent vocals of St. John. This album is very stripped back for the most part, but there are some subtle effects and harmonies on his voice throughout this song which help to add a somewhat mysterious edge. The harmonies, especially during the verses, create a bit of a Seattle-era grunge sound which actually works very well when merged with Aldrich's persistent riffing. The solo here is much more structured too, eschewing the explosion-of-notes style of the opening number to something more well-phrased. Speedy runs sit comfortably alongside more bluesier moments for a powerful combination, and it reminds me why I continue to think Aldrich is one of modern rock's best players. Nasty Hustle has more of a 1980s hair metal vibe, and certainly seems influenced by Whitesnake's Geffen-era - songs which Aldrich performed many times during his tenure with David Coverdale's band. In fact the song could have sat nicely on either of the two Whitesnake albums Aldrich co-wrote with Coverdale, as the sassy opening riff recalls that style and the more urgent pace throughout brims with 1980s rock attitude. St. John turns in another strong performance here and actually sounds a little like Aerosmith's Steven Tyler at times. The highlight here is an anthemic chorus that is instantly memorable with some of the best vocal melodies on the album. Those who prefer their blues without a 1980s sheen might be turned off by the sleazier vibe that permeates here, but those who love albums like Whitesnake's Slip of the Tongue will find plenty to enjoy.

Lead single Midnight Train is a perfect representation of the Burning Rain sound, and is based around a dirty, grinding blues rock riff. The simple production allows the whole band to shine, and Lang's bass is turned up nice and loud to really fill all the gaps. Aldrich usually plays in bands with another guitarist, so it great hearing him alone here. The production is such that there have been very few overdubs done so, for example, when Adrich solos there is often not a rhythm guitar track beneath him - which leaves Lang's bass the sole other stringed instrument playing. This works well, and it seems that Aldrich and Lang have already formed a great partnership. The solo here is one of the album's best, and it is another instantly memorable song thanks to a powerful chorus that ups the pace a little and is packed full of hooks. Shelter slows the pace somewhat and sees Aldrich break out an acoustic guitar for a jangly verse. This is no tender ballad however, and is a great bit of raw acoustic blues rock, with St. John's passionate vocals really carrying the song and Elias laying down some really primitive percussion to add a real back alley beat. I certainly prefer Burning Rain when they rock harder than this, but the more stripped-back sound also works very well and particular allows St. John to be the centre of attention. As the song moves on the band do rock things up somewhat for a time, but this is short-lived as soon the acoustic guitars are back to bring things to a rootsy close with a strange, effects-heavy guitar solo. The album's title track gets back to business however and is a punchy hard rocker with a strident main riff and a powerful bass presence that really rings through the speakers. This is another song that sounds like something Aldrich would have written with Coverdale for Whitesnake. St. John is a different type of singer however, so takes the song in a slightly different direction which works really well. He does not really let rip as Coverdale might do, but instead really gets in tune with the groove and produces a dirtier performance as a result. It is songs like this that have made me love Aldrich as a writer as well as a guitarist over the years. There is nothing complicated about music like this, but it just excites. He is a real master of the chunky blues rock riff too, and this song features one of his best. Speaking of excellent riffs, Beautiful Road is based around another. This one is a bit beefier, with a slightly funky rhythm mixed into Aldrich's usual blues. Lang helps out by doubling up with has bass, and the two playing in tandem really help to create a strong groove throughout the piece. Melodically this is not the most memorable of songs on the album, but the grooves here are extremely catchy. I also like the way the song drops out somewhat during Aldrich's solo, with a simple drum beat and bass note accompanying the first few bars of the solo before things ramp up into a more explosive affair.

Those who like their blues to be much dirtier will love Hit and Run, which opens with some guitar playing which could have come from the 1940s, which St. John expertly croons over, before the song kick-starts properly with another solid guitar riff and a driving drum beat from Elias. Those Tyler comparisons raise their heads again here, with some of St. John's vocal stylings really recalling the Aerosmith frontman. In fact, there is a strong Aerosmith vibe throughout this song - from the bluesy opening to the soaring melodic chorus which sounds more like something out of the 1980s. The mix of moods here really works well, and as a result the song is one of the album's highlights. The chorus is extremely catchy, and St. John does well throughout to come up with a strong mix of vocal hooks. Not to be outdone, Aldrich's guitar solo is as explosive as we have come to expect, and is the icing on the cake of another excellent tune. If It's Love slows things down again, with Lang's pulsing bass driving everything forward and some subtle organ mixed into the background to add depth. Keyboards are not really used on this album, and in fact are not credited to anyone in the CD booklet, but their addition to this song really helps to add some atmosphere. Again, despite being a slow song, this is not really a true ballad despite having a few elements of one. There is a bit too much rock grit here for it to be a true ballad, but it is one of the album's gentler overall moments. Lang's bass is mostly left to drive the song, but this leaves plenty of space for Aldrich to throw in a few little bluesy flourishes here and there, which he does with aplomb. Hideaway ramps things up again, with Elias dominating early on with a tight drum pattern, before Aldrich lays down a quirky little riff that sounds quite different from his usual style. Some slide guitar is set atop this, but on the whole this is a song that does things a little differently. There is almost an Extreme-esque feel throughout the song, with St. John's slightly more 'out there' vocal delivery, complete with a few anthemic wordless sections, and a slightly funky feel thanks to a prominent role for Lang's bass and the aforementioned quirky riffing. While certainly not the best song here, it is great to see Alrich and St. John trying something a bit different. The album comes to a close with a lengthy Since I'm Loving You, which is full of Led Zeppelin-esque flourishes and bluesy goodness. I hate to compare the song to Led Zeppelin, as it is the go-to comparison for lazy music journalists to compare anything remotely rocky and guitar-based to, but there is certainly a bit of a Page and Plant feel here. St. John's vocal style certainly recalls Plant's histrionics at times, and the muscular bluesy riffing is the perfect backing for these wails. This still sounds like Burning Rain however, and Aldrich once again puts in a stellar performance throughout - including on the album's best guitar solos. It is quite a lengthy one, but as this is his band it would be a shame for him not to indulge a little! It is a song that sums up the album perfectly, and acts as a great closing chapter. Overall, Face the Music is a really strong fourth album from Burning Rain and one that sees Aldrich at his most creative since Whitesnake's Forevermore. The songwriting it strong throughout, and the band around him really help to bring his creations to life.

The album was released on 22nd March via Frontiers Records. Below is the band's promotional video for Midnight Train.


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