Joseph Williams, former singer for Toto (well he did guest on the last album) is back for the melodic rock attack with the second
Vertigo album, appropriately named
"2". For those that don't know, one interesting tidbit about the singer is that Joseph happens to be the son of John Williams, the Hollywood composer for such iconic soundtracks on films as Star Wars and Indiana Jones. He seems to have inherited his father's talent for music, since he sports quite the musical voice and just explodes on certain tracks (namely the
AOR slab of heaven,
"Picking Up the Pieces"). Clean and crystal clear, he has a beautiful set of pipes that deserve to be front and center. Not to mention he helped pen one of the more standout songs of the album, the melodic oozing
"I Wanna Live Forever". This one has that blast of late 80s magic that just soars and slams with that special kind of vintage, mind numbing catchiness.
Fabrizio Grossi does the production and this one seems to have been a rush job that slipped right between his fingers. The disc lacks the sparkle and polish of the original
Vertigo cd and has a tinny aftertaste that detracts from the bold melodic statement of excess. The drums seem to fade in the background and lack any sort of presence, in fact they are muffled, like they were recorded in a closet or a basement. Grossi usually manages cds fairly well, which is why he has been in such demand and been so prolific. Why he dropped the ball on this one is a mystery.
On the brighter side,
Alex Masi is the guitarist on board and he does a splendid job. Never having been a fan of his solo material, which is like a poor imitation of Yngwie Malmsteen, it can be said with surprise that he fits in comfortably here. One of his better and tasteful examples is in
"Holy", which shares the spotlight between bombastic buildups and slower sections with simply sweet guitar sprinkled all inbetween.
Other highlights include the opener
"In the Blink of An Eye" which has a fabulously slick chorus that seems so familiar and heartwarmingly upbeat right from the get go.
"Save It All For Me" has the blessed distinction of being the big ballad of the disc and pulls out all the stops.
It is just all too short. In the blink of an eye,
"2" has passed you by, leaving a lingering feeling of both regret and joy. Despite the utter failure on the production side of things,
Vertigo's
"2" is a lovely
AOR disc that brings precious chunks of Toto reminiscent melodic rock to the forefront. Joseph has a fantastic voice that lights up the songs like a shining star in each track's sky. A focus on the uptempo and flowing side of the genre also makes it a refreshing ride even if the disc is all too short. Would have been too much to ask for another piece or two? As it stands, this is a safe and very enjoyable purchase for anyone that likes attention snapping
AOR with great songs and can endure the chips in its coat of paint. Not as good as the original, which might be a disappointment for some, but it stands alone on great performances and great songs alone. A feat that many bands would not have been able to pull off considering the piss poor production.
Written by
Alanna Thursday, June 29, 2006
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