Can’t say I was ever a Dan Reed Network fan – his funk/rock style was something that I just didn’t embrace back in the day. However, I have admired a couple of Dan’s latter day solo albums. Some intelligent songwriting and out of the box musical arrangements there.
I had no expectations going into this, and what it delivers is a bit of both Dan Reed’s worlds.
Given the crossover in styles, it does appear a little disjointed and a little hit and miss. The hit resonates with me in a big way. The misses make the album drag, especially through the latter stages.
What hits – the brilliant melodies and subtle arrangements of the opening track Divided and the mature melodies of The Brave; the beautiful atmospheric ballad Champion and the equally pleasant keyboard styled B There With U.
The softer pop/rock of Heaven also connects as does the moody Stand Tall.
Misses include the funky ballad Infected; Give It Love; the funk/reggae swagger of Save The World which goes nowhere and the programmed beats of Reunite.
There’s a few others too, making this album about half cool, half not so.
An interesting album in parts, but perhaps not what the Dan Reed Network moniker might suggest. For that reason I think it aims to please all, without hitting the mark. Or perhaps it’s just exactly how Dan feels and writes in 2016. Up to individual fans to decide on this one.
But those few tracks in the first half of the album are seriously good.
