On Carmen Gray's second full album, '
Welcome To Grayland' the first five tracks are world class contemporary melodic rock.
Until you get to track six you swear you're in album-of-the-year territory.
It doesn't go pear shaped after that, far from it - the remaining material is still pretty damn good, it just isn't up to the same standard.
Carmen Gray's music is a powerful mix of Guns'n'Roses, flashy goth mannerisms, hooky choruses, loads of attitude and knowing backward glances toward the genre's classic rock past.
They stride out confidently on openers
'Honey Child' and '
Miss Last Chance', pulling two awesomely melodic, bass heavy rock songs behind them, with Nicklas's achingly articulate lead vocals sounding totally convincing throughout.
TT Oksala's imaginative production ensures the band's challenging rock songs don't get mired in cliché or get left high & dry by a desire to play it safe.
Oksala throws anything that fits into the mix at all the appropriate times. From scratchy strings and piano solos on
'Sacrifice' to ice maiden chorales on
'My Sweet Desire'. From celtic harp on '
He's Left To Fight This World Alone' to springloaded guitars on '
Going Wrong'. Third track '
At The End Of The Rainbow' is the album standout by a considerable distance. Oksala underlines the track's naggingly familiar, aurally adhesive hook with an amped up, thick cut riff, tattooing the tune into your memory for life.
His sure, innovative touch gives Carmen Gray's music a landscape all of its own.
It's cool and laidback when it wants to be (
Why Must You Look So Good), pumped up and pounding when the song demands (
Saints In Sorrow), frequently turning the ordinary into something special and the good into something great.
It's not very often that band and producer lock in so tightly.
These two will run and run.
Written by
Brian Wednesday, November 12, 2008
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