The architects of the great, no classic, Crown Of Thorns self-titled masterpiece are back together again to create the next chapter in their partnership.
Multi-instrumentalist and singer/songwriter Jean Beauvoir teams with guitarist/songwriter Micki Free to record this album as a duo, with the mission of picking up where the million dollar (literally) CoT debut left off.
After living with this for a while, I say the guys have an album split down the middle between hitting their target with a bullseye, and missing the mark.
Where it works is where the material best resembles the expected Crown Of Thorns sound. The voice of Beauvoir, the fine melodies and groove laden guitar work from Free are a true joy to hear in such well-produced songs such as the opening crunch of Angels Cry; the rolling melodic rock of Shotgun To The Heart (this could have been straight off the debut); the semi-acoustic Never Give Up and the glorious AOR anthem that is It’s Never Too Late. If only every track was as wonderful as this one. The closing There’s No Starting Over is also terrific old-school melodic rock.
The guys deliver a knockout ballad too, well worthy of the Crown Of Thorns name, Just Breathe is the big sentimental, harmony filled power ballad.
Where the guys miss the target for me is when they go off course to explore some bluesier, heavier sounds. Morning After didn’t grab me at all to start, but is saved by the melodic chorus; the garage rock of American Trash is something that doesn’t suit the album and I’m not too hot on Whiplash either, which is more AC/DC than CoT.
Add in a couple of ok tracks and the album seems split between classic and tracks dependent upon a listener’s mood.
In the end it’s great to hear these guys together again and this is going to make a lot of Crown Of Thorns fans happy. There’s a little of the debut here, some Lost Cathedral (their second best opus) and a little of the experimentation that slipped into latter day CoT albums.
All in all – a solid album, but not the classic I was anticipating.
The first single and music video from the upcoming Beauvoir-Free album, AMERICAN TRASH has arrived! Hit the play button on the YouTube video below and enjoy "Angels Cry"!
AMERICAN TRASH is the debut album from Beauvoir-Free, which sees Jean Beauvoir and Micki Free reunited for the first time since their days in Crown of Thorns.
Frontiers Music Srl is excited to announce the release of American Trash the anticipated new album featuring Rock & Roll veterans JeanBEAUVOIR and MickiFREE on June 5 in Europe and June 9 in North America.
Best known as the driving force behind the legendary Crown of Thorns self-titled debut album in 1994, Jean Beauvoir and Micki Free’s collective credits read like a “who’s-who” Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, with a list of collaborations that includes the likes of the Ramones, KISS, Debbie Harry, The Pretenders, John Waite, Lionel Richie, N'Sync, Billy Gibbons of ZZ Top, Bill Wyman, Carlos Santana and Prince to name but a few.
The duo both coincidentally moved back to LA in 2003 and re-connected. They discussed joining forces again for a new project and after a few shows in Europe in 2013, a deal with Frontiers was inked for a brand new album to be recorded in 2014.
The result is American Trash, an album that shaped up as “the continuation of the BEAUVOIR FREE sound as the writing team for the Crown of Thorns debut,” explains Jean Beauvoir. “When we write together there really is this magic. We know we want killer guitar riffs and major melodic chorus... and this is what turns out in our songs, in Beauvoir Free style.”
All the new songs came out like "rocking-babies" in the BEAUVOIR FREE fold. “…And all represent the sound only Jean and I create together. The "inimitable" sound of BEAUVOIR FREE,” tells Micki Free.
Joining forces once again, Jean and Micki can truly unleash the magic that they can only create when they write together, of that there is no doubt!
“We both feel this CD is some of the best work we have done, right up their next to the Crown of Thorns debut” concludes Jean. “We want to get out on the road and bring it to the fans. We receive a lot of enquires of when are you guys coming back out on tour and people telling us they can't wait to hear the new material. Frankly we can’t wait for our fans to hear American Trash as well!”
Enjoy an EPK trailer of the album here:
The American Trash track list includes: Angels Cry; Morning After; American Trash; Whiplash; Just Breathe; Shotgun To The Heart; Never Give Up; Cold Dark December; It’s Never Too Late; She’s A K.O.; There’s No Starting Over.
BEAUVOIR FREE
JEAN BEAUVOIR – Lead Vocals and Background Vocals, Bass, Rhythm Guitars, Drums, Keyboards and Orchestration
MICKI FREE - Lead Guitars, Rhythm and Acoustic Guitars
