[Heeplist] My Outsider review

[Stan From Home]

Jay - Thanks for this excellent review, you've expressed a lot of my opinions! I would just add that Celestina and Jessie are very hot twins, and you can't take that away!

Stan

> On Jun 25, 2014, at 5:53 PM, Jay Pearson <deepheep at yahoo.com> wrote:
> 
> Hi y'all!
> 
> I figured it was safe to finally post my thoughts on the new album, since I've reached the point where I can hum most of the songs, and had Speed of sound going through my head during workout this morning!
> 
> I started out doing a song-by-song review, but changed my mind. Overall, I give it the same score as Igor, a 9 out of 10.
> 
> Here's my criticisms: 1) Words on the chorus of Rock the Foundation are a let down. I understand the premise of the song (a young woman using sex to gain power/influence in her dead-end government job, and the verses are pretty good, but they turn plain silly in the chorus. That said, what a great, catchy chorus musically!
> 2) No songs by Trevor. I was hugely disappointed at this, not only because it could've been a great tribute, but because his songs not only fit great with Box/Lanzon, but provide a welcome contrast. That leads to #3
> 3) The only real changes of pace are the intro to One Minute and the heavy ballad Is Anybody Gonna Help Me. This is really picky cuz the album is so damn good!!!!
> 4) Lack of acoustic instruments used. Eddie was right about this. 
> 
> 1&2 are bigger for me, while 3&4 are nitpicking in my viewpoint.
> 
> Here's my praises: 1) Great songwriting, great production, great playing/singing from everyone! Songs are catchy, the production seems a more 70s aura than any album since Fallen Angel to my ears. And the band, woah! Mick has loads of great riffs, solos, and excellent rhythm work. Phil's organ sounds so very Heepy, but his style is distinctly his own, just as recognizable as Hensley or Lord, and he's now at nearly the same level. Bernie's voice is starting to age, but, like John Lawton, it adds a richness that only makes him sound better. I love hearing a lead singer who's immediately recognizable; way too many of today's singers sound like somebody else, either a peer or a legend. Russell may be the most improved stylistically IMO, and a big reason why this is probably the best sounding Heep record that he's recorded on. When he first started playing, his style was very generic metal, and lacked Lee's amazing feel and swing. Now Russell is playing with
> a style much more similar to Lee's; I don't know if that's him maturing as a drummer or if he's adjusted to the songs or if Mike Paxson got that out of him, but his playing helps the band's sound immensely, gives it a feel that most of us felt was missing after Lee "retired." Finally, Dave is an outstanding bass player. No one could replace Trevor...but Trevor replaced Gary and eventually surpassed him. I now believe that Dave has the same potential.
> 
> 2) Songwriting. First, there's not a single weak song. Second, Mick and Phil have developed their own unique songwriting sound (go back and listen to Time of Revelation, Universal Wheels, or Love in Silence, and you'll hear their favorite chord progressions and melody styles) much like Ken has his own unique songwriting style. When I go back and listen to the songs Mick co-wrote in the early days (such as Dreamer), I can clearly hear his evolution as a writer. It's taken me a long time to recognize that this is their style, and that they are not rehashing old material. Ken did this throughout his years in Heep, and continues to do it. This is a strength, not a weakness. Third, the Heep choir has never sounded so good! It's always been one of the key elements of the Heep sound, and I think it sounds so good on this album not just because of good performance and production, but because the songwriting provides so many opportunities for it to shine.
> Finally, I love the hints of older Heep songs, such as the nods to Stealin' in One Minute, or to Look at Yourself in Can't Take That Away.
> 
> As for lack of ballads, well, I still think Is Anybody Gonna Help Me falls into that category, albeit a very heavy one. 
> 
> 3) Band Identity. I've come to realize that I have two favorite bands: The Byron-Box-Hensley version of Uriah Heep and the Shaw-Box-Lanzon version of Uriah Heep. The two bands have now each contributed roughly 90 original songs (including non-album tracks) to the Heep canon, and there's a similar feel to both, but, IMO, Igor and others are right when they say these are two different bands despite the same guitarist and band name. Once I realized that, I went back and listened to all of the Shaw/Lanzon studio albums in order and had a epiphany! The Byron/Hensley era of Heep is my favorite band, but the Shaw/Lanzon era is my second favorite band (esp. since Sea of Light), more than Deep Purple, Kansas, Yes, or any of my other favorite bands. I love the songs that much!
> 
> So how does Outsider stack up against the other albums by this band? Like most on the list seem to have expressed, Sea of Light is still their Demons & Wizards (how do you top Against the Odds and Love in Silence???), but Outsider might be their most consistently excellent album. It seems a natural continuation of Wake the Sleeper and Into the Wild. Yeah, a 9 or 9.5 out of 10 is very appropriate from a very biased fan!!!
> 
> Jay
> np - Foo Fighters
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