[Heeplist] My Outsider review for In Rock magazine (Russia)

[Stan From Home]

Excellent and very interesting and well written review, thanks for sharing. In my opinion your review is also right on the mark. I would certainly purchase this album based on your review. 

I'm really enjoying every listen to Outsider, better every time. As much as I like WTS and ITW, I like Outsider better.

Thanks
Stan

> On Jun 24, 2014, at 9:37 AM, Igor Shveitser <zlenko_iv at mail.ru> wrote:
> 
> Hello everyone,
> As promised, here's the review of the latest LP. Be as strict as you can, constructive criticism is ALWAYS better for me than indulging approval. I hope, musicians also feel that way, at least sometimes. :))))))))
> 
> URIAH HEEP
> Outsider
> Frontiers records/Soyuz
> 9 /10
> Recording of a modern hard rock LP is similar to cooking a dish from an in advance known and not really various set of products. In this case products – certain touches, harmonies, sounds by which we actually determine the identity of a group. And freshness is still very much in demand. No, not freshness of ideas, - crucial innovations in the genre have not been present for some 30 years now, - but of the mood. Mick Box and Phil Lanzon – the main driving force behind modern Uriah Heep throughout  all those "not innovative" three decades – without any exaggeration managed to create if not a masterpiece still an album without obvious shortcomings and filled with mood. The mood is the drive.
> Any of the genre’s classics including Black Sabbath or Deep Purple  can’t afford themselves to be as crazy as modern Heep in, for example, the Outsider itself or tongue-in-cheek Say Goodbye. The disk is generally filled with fast, fervent songs. If the captious Heep’ or style’s connoisseur objects: “All of this doesn’t have much to do with real vintage Uriah Heep, tracks of the level of "that" group are still vitally necessary, - I will give a cutting answer: “that group” isn't around since mid 70-s, and copy is always worse than original. The same titled modern group is very good in its own way. Probably, even better than ever. And it’s not that certain Box-Byron-Hensley incarnation of UH could give the same fierce hell then as Box-Lanzon-Shaw one can now. Knowing almost by heart all of Uriah Heep releases, I dare to claim: in terms of  an entire album Mick Box ne-ver did his fretwork  with such inspiration and passion. Perhaps, his job on Abominog was of the same kind, but the album was not. And composition-wise there’s never been such variety since Byron's departure. Besides, regarding rhythmical aspect, the group also obviously opened a new page in their book.
> Let us also not forget about the state which musicians were in prior to recording the Outsider. It was necessary to reject sad thoughts of terrestrial life’s caducity, cease mourning Trevor Bolder's loss how ever dear he was to the band, and integrate into recording process the new creative link – Dave Rimmer, the bassist. As Bernie Shaw sings in the most recently made traditional Heep kind of shuffle, "There’s one thing in life which you do best, - just do it right …". Undoubtedly, these words are applicable to Davey. He, as the new record shows, is perfectly able to play music in that pulsing, walking heepy manner, with air filling glissandos. We won’t also take away from UH the ability to make a right choice. It concerns not only the one of a bass player, but also the album’ format in many ways. First, there’s an excellent cover art somehow reminding Storm Thorgerson’ works made for Pink Floyd. Secondly, there’s a variety of its forms – standard CD,  digipack, bonused Japanese release, download, two kinds of vinyl platters and even a set with a t-shirt. Thirdly, timing limited by 50 minutes means we are in the reign of a classical hard rock album. However crucial are the compositions. Sending us back to late 80-s Heep (which strictly speaking Mick Box& Co. still are) even if only a little, the songs are an example of cleverly synthesized all eras of a genre with various dynamics. For instance, our title track is almost heavy metal, The Law brings in both funky main part and progressive middle-section which has a place for both forte and pianissimo.
> Jessie – here’s truly a hit! - its intro is a very cunningly processed allusion on Smoke on the Water (same both harmony and key) while the verse part is rather a stadium kind of heavy pop rock of the 80-s.  Rocking and rolling Rock The Foundation resurrects distinct spirit of … that’s correct, of rock'n'rolls off Return To Fantasy, High And Mighty or even Lawton’era releases. Is Anybody Gonna Help Me stands out – for the first time since 1972 Uriah Heep decided to jam in the studio, allowing every band member to play the solo. 
> The similar variative approach is inherent practically in each song, sending us either back to the roots of Uriah Heep or to time-wise less distant eras of the group itself and the whole genre which is classic hard rock. Probably, that’s exactly what Phil Lanzon meant in an interview given to the author of these lines in autumn of 2013 while speaking of his desire to make music more "progressive". Progress for  Heep, their step forward – synthesis and complexification of compositions. Plus the spirit, its freshness, cheerfulness and power.
> The album has no weak spots. That is also perfectly confirmed by its sales in one of the largest British online shops. Motherland never sympathized too much with the band, but currently Outsider is the best selling album in "hard rock" category. Everyone thinking differently I address to the beginning of this ‘umble text and repeat: Uriah Heep of 2014 is an absolutely different group. The music might please you not, no, we all know that proverb about tastes. But there are qualities, merits and, speaking the language of these fine musicians, you can’t take that away. Yes, Mick Box and the company are in many respects hostages of a glorious rock legend past but they handle with the heritage very carefully and surely do their thing good, thus augmenting the mentioned above heritage. And it is them who are definitely no outsiders.
> Igor Shveytser
> 
> 
> 
> -- 
> Igor Shveytser
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