Each song on "Heavy Hitters" is recorded with different musicians and Schenker being the solid backbone providing leads for all songs.
The CD opens with Schenker in top form providing some great leads on
All Shook Up with
Joe Lynn Turner on vocals. For Schenker fans it is interesting to hear Jeff Scott Soto's take on the Mogg/Schenker penned
UFO classic
Doctor Doctor. Schenker's playing doesn't top the original or the 1997 re-recording on "Walk on Water". Schenker's playing on
Doctor Doctor lacks nerve and he should have been more inventive to make the song standout. However, I approve the concept of paying tribute to yourself if you add something to the new recordings and that isn't the case on
Doctor Doctor.
The best is
Blood of the Sun, which
features
Leslie West on vocals. It is good to hear Mark Slaughter back in business and overall the musicians are top notch, but the album lacks nerve. Schenker is a fabulous guitarist and even though there is plenty of lead playing Schenker doesn't leave a memorable or characteristic mark on most songs. Former MSG singer Gary Barden also delivers a rather weak vocal for Gary Moore's
Out in the Fields. The
Pink Floyd cover with Tommy Shaw also fails to impress.
Lately there have been lots of tribute albums and therefore the "tribute" concept is a bit worn out.
No one can point a finger at the performances, because the line-up features some great names in Rock that play flawless (Rudy Sarzo, Jeff Pilson, Sebastian Bach, Vinnie Appice, Aynsley Dunbar etc.). Most songs are performed with the cruise control bottom pushed and therefore "Heavy Hitters" comes off lukewarm. These classic songs scream out for improvising and inspired playing instead of flawless note for note transcriptions.
If you go to Schenker's official web-site you can read that he was asked to play lead on these song but was unaware that they were used for a MSG album and this album was released without Schenker's permission and approval under the MSG moniker.
However, think about this release as an appetizer to the up-coming CD celebrating 25 years of MSG with all new performances and new recordings with former MSG vocalists Robin McAuley, Kelly Keeling, Leif Sundin, Graham Bonnet, Gary Barden and Chris Logan. Wow!!!
Written by
Michael Thursday, February 9, 2006
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