I must admit to being very perplexed. I’ve always made production quality a theme of my reviews over the years. My determination of how good any album is reflects as much on how it sounds cranked to the max as well as the quality of performances and songwriting.
It’s those 3 ingredients that must come together to make a great album.
And on most reviews written for this album that I have seen, the context talks positively of two of those aspects, but complete ignores the elephant in the room – that is, the production here just doesn’t cut it in 2014.
This is a very thin sounding record, so much so that it makes the album impossible to crank to any great volume without having to adjust the equalizer in a desperate attempt to pump in some bottom end.
It’s a very sharp sound otherwise, with the rhythm section playing a very poor second to guitars and vocals. If this scene is to survive, then those reviewing material must reflect on this issue if there’s any hope of it improving.
I’m a big fan of Gregory Lynn Hall’s vocals. His work with 101 South has been previously praised and he’s a terrific guy to deal with.
On Heaven To Earth, GLH cranks his rock-o-meter into the red for a fired up hard rocking affair over the more laid back AOR strains of 101 South.
And it suits him. The raspy vocals and passionate delivery drive these at times fast and furious rockers in a way not heard before from the American singer.
The opening 4 tracks all rock (quality songs too) and it’s not until the ballad I Thought I Saw Heaven at track 5 until things let up.
From here there’s 3 ballads in 4 tracks, with Fly On the big 80s ballad of the collection. I can see old-school fans of that sound lapping this song up.
Cry No More signals the ramp up in tempo once again, but the mix here sounds atrocious and I just can’t play it.
Cryin’ is another ballad to finish the album.
A solid album in terms of songs, even if the better ones are stacked into the first half of the record. Things mellow out a little more on the second half.
I like the vocals a lot and I hope Gregory can come back with his next solo album sounding sonically better than on Heaven To Earth, as that aspect does let the whole project down.
