Fastback is the collaboration of Brian Saunders and Michael Thomas. The two have played together in various touring acts such as
Tuff and Bang Tango. Now Thomas and Saunders have decided to form a new two-person group together.
The music is rooted in classic Hard Rock, but with a twist that makes
Fastback sound fresh. Michael Thomas' voice is surprisingly strong. His vocals suit the music perfectly and backed by Brian Saunders they provide classy vocals that are the cornerstone of
Fastback.
Step up and
Pretty N Dead open "The Pain of Beauty" with an aggressive and direct approach. You immediately notice the drums, which are very visible and comprehensive in the mix. The thunderous bass, heavy drums, crunchy guitars and great vocals are main ingredients in
Fastback and like the in-your-face chorus of
Step Up says "Like it or not, it's on"
Fastback has a strong melodic ear proved on the melodic power ballad
Dig and
Find a Way, which builds up for the chorus. The album's best track is
Good bye to You, which emphasizes
Fastback's ability to write melodies that stick to your ear like super glue. The melody line is played as guitar riff on the intro and
Good Bye To you is driven by an energy and attitude that peaks on the chorus.
The album spans through fast paced rockers like the aforementioned openers plus
Spiders, a sugarsweet song
Friend of Mine, the doomy cover of Simon & Garfunkel's
Sound of Silence that finishes up-tempo and basic melodic pop/rock on the great closer
Halo.
Halo has very strong double vocal from Michael and Brian - their voices really complement each other well.
I was expecting a "guitar hero" album, but
Fastback relies on hooks, melodies, strong vocals and harmonies. The focus is on the songs itself, which really suits
Fastback. Still great guitar solos are not left out - just listen to the solos on
Independent and
Good Bye to You.
"The Pain of Beauty" is recommendable and a fresh addition to the Hard Rock scene with
Fastback's unique fresh sound. The album is available from the bands website or at
www.tuffcds.comWritten by
Michael Saturday, January 8, 2005
Show all reviews by MichaelRatingsMichael: 7/10Members: No members have rated this album yet.
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