Album Review - Chris Laney - Pure - RevelationZ Magazine

Chris Laney's solo outing "Pure" is shockingly 80s and compromises nothing. The songs are bold statements in themselves, drawing from a wealth of hand picked inspiration in the fields of glory days groove glam Ratt, the catchy melodic rock of Warrant, the raunchiness and sleaze of WASP and Motley Crue, a dash of bombastic Queen-like arrangements, the Eastern rockstar meets Western taste of Bon Jovi and an abundance of strong Def Leppard melodic overkill overtones. The music has a feral quality tamed to composed richness by smoldering waves of melody.

These cool depths help somewhat douse the raging wildfires throbbing within to varying degrees of captivity. Laney himself is no great singer, truly. He has an average range and a sandpaper voice that has more attitude than anything else. Subtlety is nonexistent, and Laney powers through the songs by sheer force of will and a mountain of attitude and self assurance. He possesses a great deal of presence, which combined with firecracking songs, makes quite the positive impression. Laney also handles all guitar duties, switching between razor sharp Metallica type riffing and crystal clear 80s solos. It's a sweet mixture. His name certainly will be familiar to music fans as he has produced such bands as Europe, Candlemass and Crashdiet and also released albums under the bands Animal and Zan Clan.

"Situation" has darting prickly guitars and a straight forward aggressive attack. Otherwise this is a rumbling in-your-face ride that goes for the most modern approach on the album. Rough and fuzzy electric pounce out, lacking grace but making it up by slinging out mammoth riffs that support the vocals through this uptempo brash rocker. Def Leppard melodies round out the massive sound and over-the-top production that comes calling on the glammed up glitter of "I Dunno". It is a male wish fulfilment fantasy of bouncy, high octane romp-in-the-sack pop/rock track that delights in the chase and revels in its primal sexuality. Another huge atmosphere for the gigantic fantasta-slick melodic rocker "Make You Cry", guitars seething harsh, basslines thundering through the melodic veil and ripping it down as if it were as substantial as thin air. A killing chorus just heaps on the snazziness, dazzled by dancing guitar solos that blend DeMartini with Lynch. A lavish helping of "Pyromania" peeks through the frantic fire adding style to the substance and a gunning Guns N Roses bite further drives this track into memory.

Midtempo melodic rich "The Stranger In You" goes all moody with its overtones of early Firehouse tossed in with some Paul Stanely and a modern heavy punch to contradict that. Lazer precision guitars and tight songwriting, make this a streamlined treat that's abundant in fresh, huge harmonies. Bruce Kulick had a hand in making this one come to life. "Fire and Ice" is catchy as all hell and storms out as a smoking hot track that comes blazing in all its 80s invigorated glory. Tendrils of smoky blatant seduction and the forward stalking blaze of passion give this between-the-sheets-fantasy its sticky sweat. Heavy grooves and an anthemic chorus just seal the deal. AOR rising and riding high on those souped up melodic waves.

"I Hate Yer Guts" has the raunchy Crue-like guitars force their way through and compliment the shouting chorus respectably. However, even its black attitude and sonic waves of hate can't muscle its way out of the repetitive hole it digs and sinks in. Not bad, but sister-song "Pissed" is angrier and a better version of this black moody groove. Its a duet with Zinny Zan, who gets in his share of pot shots along with Laney.

"Get U Down" is as slick as anything and deeply buried in the fine weavings of "Adrenalized" Def Leppard. "Hysteria" swirling deliciously around the guitars. It is much sleazier than the average pulse hammering Lep track, but it has the kind of channelled attitude and frills that Lep fans wish their band could pull off with this kind of snap and stylish appeal. It was written with Mutt Lange's "Lep sound" in mind. A real treasure of a melodic piece.

"Pissed At What You Missed" has heavy hitting rock 'awesomeness' but lacks substance. Who needs substance when your song is growling in such delightful pissiness? A dash of Dokken in those guitars there, and a vocal swagger has this addictive confidence that helps the song spitfire to its satsifying conclusion.

Also relying on style is this Ratt/WASP combo called "Make My Day" that is hazed in lust and darkened by a Def Lep's "Retroactive" mood. The atmosphere continues on into the more midtempo "Last Man Standing", although it is boosted by a Firehouse feeling chorus. A great AOR direction and sense of catchy melody gives this standing power. All the stops are pulled out for the ballad. "Skin on Skin" spirals into this huge Queen heightened bombast (a tribute done on purpose) and a massive chorus, laced in piano. A strange departure for the album, "B 4 the Fall" (with its title that seems like it was written by Jeff Scott Soto) digs out the acoustic guitar and puts real twang and clang into it. Peeking into the verses reveals tumbleweeds rolling around as the song struggles between being some Western Bon Jovi dream and something slinkier, like Oni Logan Lynch Mob caught up in a rattlesnake's coils.

"Pure" is a war between excellence and the average, and luckily the brighter songs manage to pull the album off in high style. The Def Leppard overtones are most used and to great effect, making tracks such as "Make You Cry" seem more expansive and catchy than they would have been without that extra streamlined touch. The album's 80s influences show through proudly and are more dominant than its modern bits which serve more to ground the disc in the here and now than to actually define it. It's big, bold and aggressive but lacks the finesse that could have made the great tracks truly superb. However, his beat-you-over-the-head passion is a refreshing change of pace for those that are tired of vocalists that beat around the bush... Laney can never be accused of that. A "Pure" surprise for summer that's sure to sleaze and please.

Written by Alanna
Thursday, June 18, 2009
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Ratings

Alanna: 8/10

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