Album Review - Various Artists - Labour of Love - Ricky Parent Cancer Benefit project

Since this is a diverse album with various performers a short track by track review is deserved.

The Christian rockers Liberty N Justice opens the album with a cover of Beatles´ Nowhere Man. Liberty N´ Justice just released their latest album "Soundtrack of a Soul", but this is not from the new and amazing album. Good vocals but the song is restrained by the programmed drums.

Round and round is written by Enuff Z´nuff masterminds Chip Z´nuff and Donnie Vie. The song is taken from Sy Klopps Blues Band's legendary "Walter Ego" album. Sy Klopps is their old manager Herbie Herbert, who in 1993 recorded the solid "Walter Ego". Donnie and Chip was a big part in recording that album. Herbie Herbert got musicians from the bands he managed to help him out, so Gregg Rollie and Russ Valory is part of the Rhythm section, while Europe´s Kee Marcello handles the lead guitar. Donnie and Chip do background vocals.

Best of Seven´s version of Enuff Z´nuff´s Baby Loves You featuring Donnie Vie was also featured on "A Tribute to Enuff Z'Nuff". Read review.

Outerspace is the only track that features the main character Ricky Parent. This is an unreleased Enuff Z´Nuff track written by Donnie Vie and Ricky Parent. I have had this song for several years and it took a little while to adapt to it, but it's a classy tune and a very cool inclusion on "Labor of Love"

Guitarist Stuart Smith has been around for quite some time with his band Heaven and Earth. Doing lead vocals on Deep Purple´s emotional ballad When a Blind Man Cries is Richie Sambora. We all know from Sambora´s solo albums and from witnessing Bon Jovi live, that the man has got great pipes. When a Blind Man Cries suits Sambora's bluesy vocals just perfect. Stuart Smith and Sambora each blow a great solo. This definitely is one of the best tracks on the album.

R.I.P.E. has a female vocalist and builds on atmospheric rock music. The band sound is not unlike Within Temptation and R.I.P.E. sounds very European even though they hail from the US.

Former Dokken bassist Jeff Pilson (now Foreigner) performs an interesting rendition of Dokken's When Heavens Comes Down. Ricky Parent was drummer in Jeff Pilson´s War and Peace, which he formed right after Dokken broke up first time. Just like Richie Sambora Pilson is a badass vocalist and multi performer.

I have no knowledge of Wade Williams. The contribution is The Albatross - an instrumental track that build around a good melody line.

One more time grows on you. The power rocker is performed by Thornbirds, which includes Jeff Duncan and Russ Parish. Russ Parish also played with Ricky in the aforementioned War and Peace.

I loved Jamie Rowe in Adrian Gale and his vocals on the new Liberty N Justice are amazing. I like his voice but I am not too fond of his song. Power pop!

Michigan native Matt Fig composed One Step. The acoustic sound is good and overall a good song even though I normally wouldn't listen to a whole album in this vein. The song grows on you after a few listens though. Check out Fig's music on his website.

Miss you is a good catchy song. Sixty-10 might get lost in the melodic pop rock shuffle with bands like Blink 182 etc, but the song is catchy with hooks.

Two former members of Trixter display their new band 40FT Ringo. Save Your Soul is a back to basics rock song with a the well known message "Rock N' Roll will save your soul"

Judging by this one song only Crunchy sounds like they don't have their own identity - Fanatic sounds like so many others.

Crash Kelly's Penny Pills is a great glammy rock song taken from their debut album "Penny Pills". Read full review.

Somehow Rush comes in mind hearing Dry. Might as Well wins with each listen and this 3 piece Illinois band could be worth checking out for everyone that lives close-by since the band plays lots of gigs in Illinois and the nearby states.

Joe Becker performs an instrumental all guitar based song called Little Brother. A good guitarist but with all respect, it's so hard to differentiate all the good shredders around.

The album ends with a goodie for Trixter fans. Heart of steel is taken from Trixter's debut but this version is a previously unreleased live track. Heart of Steel ends the album on a high note.

You are supporting a good cause by purchasing this disc. A portion of the proceeds from this CD are being donated to American Cancer Society. Labour of Love is a mixed bag of songs and performers, but as the track by track review underlines it is a high quality product.

Get well Ricky.

Written by Michael
Tuesday, August 29, 2006
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