| Lost Weekend Fear And Innocence | Escape Music ESM180 |
|
|
British melodic rockers Lost Weekend have bounced around labels over the years and now find themselves with another new home in Escape Music. What Escape have managed to do that the other labels haven't, is provide the band with a great producer/mixer in Martin Kronlund in Sweden. This is the band's 5th album and easily their best sounding to date. This album has more punch and a clearer sound than any album before it and the mix is perfectly balanced. You'd expect no less from Kronlund. The band has their own melodic rock style that has drifted over the years and here things change a little again. In fact, as they turn to a heavier direction, I think is the sound they should adopt permanently as it suits them very well. What I hear on Fear And Innocence is a sound closer to the likes of Gary Barden/MSG/Deep Purple. In fact, so strong is the Gary Barden influence, I had to check the writing credits for his input. But no…it's all down to the band's principle songwriters Dave Thompson and Paul Utterly. I like the blues based rock of this record. It is heavier than past efforts, but still very much melodic and the production matches the tougher approach. The songs themselves aren't the type of anthemic rockers that are of instant appeal, but more straight forward mid-tempo rockers that grow on you after several spins. Highlights to these ears include the excellent ballad Father And Son; the traditional rock of Back Street Living; the punchy Life With The Lid Taken Off and the double time stomper Another Lonely Night In Tears. The moody Only The Strong Survive is also worth a mention.
|
