[Heeplist] Inside listening to Outsider

[Bob Winward]

After several listens, I am ecstatic about tracks 6-11!! 1-5 sound like a
throwback to WTS as if ITW never existed.  It sounds more like a mix of
Raging Silence and WTS

Speed of Sound has a really nice melodic vocal with uptempo beat and some
familiar sounding ³light of a thousand stars² from WTS guitar/keyboard
riffs.  I love the chorus that Bernie sings on this.

One minute, great song, thank goodness for the beginning, the first minute
or so is the only ballad on the cd.

The Law is passable, I don¹t like the hook, about taking the law into your
own hands.  The jamming 1/3 into the song is really good.  Then Mick¹s
extended guitar solo halfway through is killer.  I also love the last minute
of the song the jamming!  Also this is the song where Daveys bass starts
jumping out at you.

Outsider starts out with fast guitar and drumming sort of like Wake the
Sleep song.  Lyrically, it is about the Bad boy!  Yes the outlaw heep has
sung about through their career.  I reference Stealin, Hanging Tree,
Suicical Man, the guy in the song Into the Wild being chased by Troopers.
It is a short song and has some really nice jamming and solos mid point to
end of song.

Rock the Foundation, Who is Baby? Celestina?  This is about a girl, sort of
like the skater in Cry Freedom.  Another strong performance from Davey, but
overall, the least inspiring song for me on the cd.  I won¹t say it is a
clunker, it is on par with WTS lighter songs and hasn¹t done much for me yet
except evoke curiosity as to who is singing Celestina in the background

Is Anybody Gonna Help Me, now heep kicks it up several notches.  This is the
type of song we want.  It starts out slow and heavy.  The vocals are strong,
this song grabbed me instantly.  The first classsic off this cd. The chorus
is really catchy with the ³I¹m Asking you²  Great song!!  Halfway through
there is a guitar solo that sounds like Carlos Santana style.

Looking At You, another strong vocal effort with Bernies enchanting voice!
Great heep choirs, plenty of hammond, this was my early favorite until
others grew on me.

Can¹t Take that Away, very guitar driven from the start and about 40 seconds
in Davey does a split second bass solo.   I love the hook, ³you can¹t take
that away² and the chorus is awesome.

Jessie, is an outstanding track!!  It starts out with some cool guitar then
the bass kicks in (sort of reminds me of the opening bass riffs of Lady Evil
from Black Sabbath¹s heaven & Hell)  Ok, it is more lyrics about a girl in
trouble (Celestina¹s sister?)  It does move along nicely vocally, but the
star of the song is Davey, the bass lines are outstanding.  So is Mick, but
we expect that of course! Lol!

Kiss the Rainbow, this is the song I predict will be the instant classic,
like Trail of Diamonds.  It is unique and has identity.  A very lovely and
beautiful song!  I hope they pick this for the live set.

Goodbye, what an outstanding track/title to close out the cd.  It ends
abruptly too after Bernie sings the final goodbye.  Strong guitar riffs, it
starts out sounding familiar but Bernie rescues it with his beautiful
sounding voice.  But the lead guitar drives it throughout.  The lyrics are
catchy and I think this would be another great song live.  I love the first
and only extended keyboard solo and it is awesome.  Phil wailing away on the
hammond with a really heavy bass line underlying it.  This song has the heep
magic, yeah it starts out slow and grabs you and takes you to that high
hypnotic level.  Like I said it ends abruptly, but the more I think about
it, it is a really cool ending.  They should play this as final ecore, it
would really work well!!