Monday, 19 May 2014

Joey Molland review



Molland, Joey - Return to Memphis
Review by: Daniel Pavlica

Year: 2014
Produced by: Carl "Blue" Wise
Label: Joekat Music


Tracks:
1. Walk Out in the Rain
2. A Love Song
3. Ship to Mars
4. Frank and Me
5. Got A Felling
6. Hero
7. Is It Any Wonder
8. All I Need Is Love
9. All I Ever Dreamed
10. Still I Love You

Badfinger legend Joey Molland takes a trip to Royal Studios in Memphis and emerges showing of a handful of original numbers that cross moments of beauty with unexpected insipidness. 

One great thing about this album is that it’s been put together with a feel for what makes a quality record, which means it’s not necessarily a collection of strong features, but also has a true flow. And yes as the title suggests, Molland’s musical roots are pretty much evidently planted. Never afraid to leap from the blue eyed soulfulness of “Walk Out in the Rain” to the toughened up roughness of “Still I Love You”, Molland delivers with panache and style. He lover the tone on “All I Ever Dreamed”, calls on the tears with “Hero” in and even indulges in some seriously inspiring guitar work here and there. That’s for the best moments. The trouble with Joey’s return is that for the most part the album is okay, and nothing more. Molland’s voice even sounds tired here and there, but then again similar material would no doubt squeeze the guts out of a singer 20 years younger too. On other hand, “Return to Memphis” isn’t short of hummable melodies, married with skilfully controlled energy and zip that tell of an album of colourful proportions which means no worries for Joey Molland. 

6 out of 10

CURRENTLY AVAILABLE AT GONZO:

Demos Old And New
CD - £9.99

Return To Memphis
SCD - £9.99

This Way Up
CD - £9.99

No comments:

Post a Comment

...BECAUSE SOME OF US THINK THAT THIS STUFF IS IMPORTANT
What happens when you mix what is - arguably - the world's most interesting record company, with an anarchist manic-depressive rock music historian polymath, and a method of dissemination which means that a daily rock-music magazine can be almost instantaneous?

Most of this blog is related in some way to the music, books and films produced by Gonzo Multimedia, but the editor has a grasshopper mind and so also writes about all sorts of cultural issues which interest him, and which he hopes will interest you as well.