"ST"
from "Adam Evil & the Outside Royalty" can only be described as
a confusion of tracks. This Pittsburgh-based seven piece (including cello and
violin) have such a wide range of styles that there is no common theme to their
CD.
It was quite refreshing to listen to tracks that might be considered an amalgamation
of Bowie with Manson (Get ready (get right)) and then to switch swiftly into
a track like "Heavy" which would not have sounded out of place on
Sgt. Pepper!
"Just Past Laughing" and "Welcome to the Underworld" were
both fast-beat, heavily distorted guitar tracks with Adam sounding like Mike
Monroe.
"Love song at the end of the world" is perhaps one of the oddest tracks
I have ever listened to. Metallica S&M meets the bass line from "Grease"?
The song moves from a pop-like beat to heavy beat, changing tempo several times.
I suppose at the end of the world you would have all sorts thrown together.
"Goodbye" and "Desperate Angel Soul" were both ballads,
the former much in the style Hendrix and the latter being one of those power
ballads that starts slow, builds up and up and then fades back, never really
getting up to tempo but with an innovative instrumental bridge that I had to
listen to several times to work out what was going on.
"Liquid Leather Lover" and "Imogene Remembered" make the
best use of the extended line-up with Echo's violin coming through loud and
clear. Heavy, fast, aggressive stuff.
The CD is finished off with the 10 minute "Peace of Mind". In all
honesty I was not sure if I was up for 10 minutes of Adam Evil & the Outside
Royalty, a slow beat with the violin and cello over the top - more Fusion than
Glam.
Many styles, many instruments played extremely well and there is no one genre
that Adam and the band fit into. This will appeal to people with all sorts of
tastes in music but if I had to put the CD into a slot then it would be Fusion.
The Quality of the mastering on the CD can only be described as top notch.
Not on my Christmas stocking list but a well-deserved 6.5/10.
by SJ Skyline