CORKY LAING REVIEW

http://www.seaoftranquility.org/reviews.php?op=showcontent&id=15159

What do you get when you mix one part drummer and two parts philosopher? An album titled Playing God of course.

Corky Laing is a Canadian drummer for the seminal hard rock band Mountain and has been in the music business for over forty years. He has worked with the likes of Meatloaf, Ian Hunter, John Lennon, Ten Years After, Mahogany Rush and many others.

Laing calls his band The Perfect Child and includes Bonnie Parker (bass, vocals), Denny Colt (guitar, vocals), Lasse Väyrynen (guitars, guitalele, bass, keyboards, backing vocals), Matti Häyry (guitars, guitalele, keyboards, vocals), Tuija Takala (guitar, vocals), Maya Paakkari (vocals), Harri Väyrynen (guitar, bass, vocals), Mikaela Mansikkala (vocals) and Hanna Paatero (backing vocals).

Laing's latest Playing God is not prog but the concept certainly could be. Laing has enlisted the help of two professors of philosophy, who also happen to be in his band, Matti Häyry and Tuija Takala and has created a rock opera exploring the problems arising from genetic engineering. It is a concept that has much bearing on 'real' life so it was interesting following along with the lyrics. The album has a whopping twenty-five tracks all under five minutes. Describing individual songs would be futile as this is an album that needs to be listened to in one sitting. This is a rock opera in a Rocky Horror Picture Show kind of way and indeed some of the music did remind of that soundtrack. The music is bombastic, bluesy, 50 and '60s retro and pure rock n roll. The riffs may be heavy or acoustic and the playing is solid.

Playing God is a fun album and one I enjoyed listening to. A lot of detail went into this album and although this isn't prog, fans of the genre may find Playing God well worth their time, especially if you are a fan of the Rocky Horror Picture Show. Give some samples a try and see what you think. Just remember the album flows better when taken in as a whole.

Track Listing:
1. Gods March
2. Luke's Blues
3. Terrace of the Gods
4. Perfect Boy
5. Tony's Return
6. College Girls
7. Silent Dream
8. My Brother's Gonna Die
9. Open Up Your Imagination
10. Here is Our Blood
11. Jupiter
12. Tim's Requiem
13. Not Good Enough
14. Father's Lament
15. Crying Shame
16. Journey
17. Sisterhood
18. Vital Stream
19. Revelations I
20. Meltdown
21. Revelations II
22. Eyes in the Mirror
23. Revelations III
24. Mr C's Demise
25. In This World

Added: September 29th 2013

CURRENTLY AVAILABLE FROM GONZO

Playing God
CD - £9.99