It may have taken a couple of decades to get here but now that is has arrived the wait seems as if it was worthwhile.
China Blue's conception began in the late 80s as little more substance than a dream and some songwriting concepts. Keyboardist Eric Ragno (Takara, Danny Vaughn, Ted Poley, etc) wrote the music and his best friend and co-creator of the band, Tom Barbano penned the lyrics. The songs were written to "explore those avenues of defining moments", the
"Twilight of Destiny" if you will. After the project had been dusty and lingering for a dozen or more years, going nowhere while Ragno pursued other musical endeavors, it was finally taken out of the closet and had the moth balls beaten from it. Josh Ramos (Hardline, The Storm, Two Fires) pitched in and Tony Mills was recruited to give voice to the lyrics. A fresh gloss was applied by Michael Riesenbeck and
China Blue was finally close to being reality.
The music is sweet, ethereal pop infused-keyboard driven grandness. The smoothness of
Journey, the ecstatic bubbling champagne synth of Shy, the swirling melodies of the 80s Scandi
AOR rock scene and the devastating vocals of Mills who can still sing you straight to another world.
"Changing Ways" is gossamer dawn, like a phoenix fiery rebirth of glorious melodies and the strange, twisting skylight show of comet crossing guitars and starswept melody lines.
"
What Do You Need But Love" is questioning, free flying and melting in emotion.
"So Wrong" nails the urgency of
Journey and the progressive caress of The Storm. Bass and drums lean and thumping, each Mills line given heavy weight as the song's flow surges to keep up and then sweeps you away amidst the river of synth. Standing stark and emotionally bright comes simple piano melodies and hawk screeching guitars.
"I Feel Like Dying" is another twilight moment brought to musical life. Where that one word or a brush of a careless hand could change the course of everything. The tension of two people joined at the heart but who are pulling apart despite one party's insistence to hold it together so fate will not stray down a path that does no t include *her* in it. Upbeat
Journey mixed with equal parts Shy. The high pitched vocals of Mills and the dancing guitar of Ramos makes it quite memorable.
"Don't Be A Stranger" has a more modern
AOR sound. Less pusy keyboard and more emphasis given on tinkly piano and sheer vocal prowess. A lovely song but lacks some of the 80s dazzle nostalgia despite a handful of truly beautiful guitar passages. Josh Ramos has a razor edge and a knack for milking every drop of passion from the six strings. Feathery and wistful or thick and positively electric, he morphs the guitar into any personality demanded by the individual song.
"Crimes (of Passion)" has that celebratory feel of
AOR and a twist that sees the rhythm section thundering in the prog laced atmosphere. There's this spacey, galaxy tripping quality to the music as seen on Shy's "Brave the Storm" and Helloise's "Cosmogony". It clips along in this dazzling cosmic pop fashion.
"Passions" begins with a voice drifting down like bits of sunshine sparkling through dew laden clouds of guitar. A bright shining revelation of gold in the electric haze that bathes the heart and cradles the soul in its soft, sweet, heartbreaking honesty.
"Moving On" has vocal choruses that are as smooth as the finest slippery silk, shimmering and shining like crystal cool water. Guitars weave patterns like intricate lace on the edges. Tony's voice is the embroidery, adding colour, texture and vibrance to the silky, sorrowed creation. Keyboard shiver near the ending, feeling the inevitability of a love that's dead, paling and dying.
"Twilight of Destiny" along with
"Lost", has guitar notes offered up to the heavens as the plea to some deity watching over the celestial dome of the world. Not a note wasted, each as careful and precious as the one before. Then the voice of Mills washes through like the most gorgeous angel's song, the guitar parting for its elegant entrance. A delicate atmosphere, kept simple and expressive, underscoring the reality of broken love and scattered dreams. Like so many ashes after the fire has gone. Nothing more than this, an open handed plea made even more potent by its stark manner.
"Take Me As I Am" stirs the pot of emotion and then boils it to a fevered pitch. Scrambling pumping
AOR with a sticky chorus that makes your memory its home and sets fire to the tender in your soul. A rapturous exclamation, no, declaration of love and desire interwoven by keys and joyous guitars.
"A Last Goodbye" is an instrumental piece that is a showcase for the guitar and shows both talent and unleashes a flood of emotion.
China Blue's most delighted effect is being so close to older Shy, shaped by the voice of Tony Mills combined with the keyboard lavished music. Not as dizzying as "Excess All Areas" (Shy) but anything that leaves you breathless in such a manner is worth a listen. Displeased by the misused marriage of Mills and TNT?
China Blue's
"Twilight of Destiny" somehow makes up for it.
Written by
Alanna Monday, January 26, 2009
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