I wanted to be subjective when reviewing this CD so I have held on to it a little longer than most, and by now most anyone that would potentially be interested in what it has to offer has already snapped it up and been enjoying it for a few months now. And those that aren't into
AOR are likely not going to be converted with this. It is for the fans, the diehards, the ones that refuse to let go of this musical genre, and keep buying new discs of this type time and again. Over the Edge is really a great one, there's no doubt about it, and those that are into this or are showing interest, will be rewarded with some truly excellent music that has been pulled from the discarded
Journey's unused song pile as well as stuff penned by Jack Blades, Freddy Curci and producer Fabrizio V.Zee Grossi.
Starship singer Mickey Thomas is the vocalist here, however, and he manages to carry the material nicely with his "made for
AOR" pipes. I've always been a fan of Thomas, my favorite Starship album is one of the ones that does not have Grace Slick on it, "Love Among the Cannibals", which was heavily criticized as being overly commercial by fans of the more psychedelic trippy hippy version of the band, Jefferson Airplane or even Jefferson Starship. But it was superb
AOR with some killer cuts, and showcased Mickey and his distinct, warm and radio friendly voice. He's very smooth and seems to have found an even larger range beyond the bubbly enthusiasm he exuded while in Starship. I can't say I prefer this "new" Mickey over the old one, but he's still nice to hear. His voice hasn't changed as radically as Foreigner's Lou Gramm, but they can easily be compared to one another.
The production is super tight, making the CD pop with a contemporary feel. More of these guys should spring for good production, it really makes a difference, and can lift a decent album up into really nice status, just by having a crisp sound that allows for clean highs and lows and all the richness in between, which can be experienced here. Guitars are also taken care of without worries, with three different big name guests on the axe, Neal Schon,
Steve Lukather and Richie Kotzen, all well respected and more than capable guitarists, they have been string slinging favorites for years. There are three others involved as well, Rob Vanni, JM Scattolin, and Frabrizio Grossi popping up again. Not just a producer and songwriter but he also lays down some licks too, plus shares bass duties with Kenny Wilkerson, and is the sole keyboardist here. Biggs Brice is drumming, hate not to mention the bloke after running through all the other names on here.
"Over the Edge" is very reminiscent of top notch, 80s pop rock Starship crossed with Jack Blades' better solo works, which makes sense since Blades was a co-writer. It's 80s poppy but meshed with a more contemporary feel that makes for a nice mix.
"One World" is a fine example of a simmering burner
AOR classic that was considered for
Journey's "Arrival" but was axed in the end, thankfully! Mickey gets into this laid back groove that would have been a totally different experience with Steve Augeri if
Journey had taken hold of it.
"Thief" completes the killer opening trilogy, with an anthemic sound that builds from a moody opening into an explosion of a chorus. Killer stuff, although it's a rehash, originally appearing on Martin Stenmarck's solo album "One" as "I'm Falling". Stenmarck can certainly pen a great song, and while I haven't heard Stenmarck's, I can't imagine it being quite this good without Mickey running wild on the track, and all the power simmering in the musical backdrop.
Here we fall off in quality a bit with
"Surrender". It is a little repetitive, and even cheesy where the lyrics are concerned.
"Come on baby surrender, you got me down on my knees, yeah." Rinse and repeat. It's also more stripped and without the filler thrills of other tunes. It just doesn't settle too well, the hook is beaten to a pulp, to the point its no longer a hook, but an annoyance. While listening to it, someone pointed out it sounded like a bad track from a low budget 80s movie soundtrack. Can't really argue there.
"Eyes Wide Open" is a slow burning gorgeous ballad with vocals that leave their mark and magnificent guitar work from Neal Schon. This is from the unused
Journey tune stash, and has that timeless quality that will make it a favorite for those who love the slower songs for years to come. It really has the shine of a classic.
"Forest For the Trees" represents a complete departure for the album. They turned a nu-breed rocker song from Australian modern rockers TaxiRide, and twisted it into a wicked rock tune that rewards with its aggression and wild guitar work. Definitely not plush, cushy or safe as many of the other songs are, that's for sure.
Continuing to stir those darker roots,
"Man In Between" is not fluff but isn't as dark as one would imagine either. Compared to the brighter tracks on the album, however, its downright brooding. The chorus pops against the more subdued verses.
Ending the moody middle trilogy is
"Cover Me", the guys reaching for the acoustic guitars for a stripped back ballad that gleams with another pristine chorus. Mickey shows a lot of depth here, and sounds just rich and solid. Nothing else on the album is quite like this, but it finds its place here.
"Turn Away" steps back up into anthem-like territory with sizzling guitars and a feel good up tempo vibe. It gets the blood churning again after several downer type tracks, with that pop Starship nature back on track.
"Glory Day" is the finale, another moody track with a very modern feel. It reminds me of a few tracks from the debut disc of Tony Harnell's
Westworld back several years ago. Blades is responsible for creating this one as well, and handing it off to Thomas has made it something special.
Those looking for extras also get a treat. I suppose just having a CD with great songs isn't enough these days, since bands seem determined to fill up any unused space with extras. This one has a Mickey Thomas video interview, man has he ever aged, and also a video for
"One World". Also would like to commend the cover, it looks very early 80s like from one of those New Wave bands or something. Modern, different, and attention grabbing.
This is a no brainer purchase for those that own Grossi's other vocalist centered produced CDs such as Joseph William's "Vertigo" and the critical acclaimed "Perfect World" from Kelly Hansen. "Over the Edge featuring Mickey Thomas" is the latest and best of the three, and one of the must-have titles in
AOR for 2004. With catchy songs, high class musicianship and being an overall glossy product, it deserves a space on your CD rack. There's one truly downer point, but the rest is mainly smooth sailing.
Written by
Alanna Monday, July 19, 2004
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