TONIC
TONIC
MAY 4, 2010
TONIC IS NOT A BAND THAT HAS SEEN THE LIGHT OF DAY ON MY DESK OF CD'S TO REVIEW. WHY? WHY? WHY HAVE I WAITED SO LONG TO PLUG THIS ONE IN, I DO NOT KNOW. NOW AS THE SONGS PLAY I AM SADDENED THAT I HAVE WAITED SO LONG. I AM LISTENING TO THIS CD WITH FRESH EARS AS I HAVE NOT CROSSED PATHS WITH THIS BAND OTHER THAN PICKING UP THE CD BUT NOT REALLY GETTING A CHANCE TO SPIN IT. THEY INSTANTLY COME ACROSS AS A BAND WITH THEIR OWN SOUND AND DIRECTION WITH LITTLE OF THEIR INFLUENCES DOMINATING IN AN ATTEMPT TO RECREATE SOMETHING FROM THE PAST.
EACH UPBEAT TRACK MAKES YOU WANT TO ROCK YOUR HEAD TO THE BEAT WHILE THE SLOWER SONGS ARE MELODIC. THE COMBINATION OF BOTH PRESENT A WELL-ROUNDED, OUT OF THE ORDINARY ALBUM IN A WORLD OF REPEATED REPEATS FILTERED OUT AND RE-RELEASED AS SOMETHING NEW. THE GUITAR WORK WEAVES THROUGH LOUD AND DISTORTED WITH SOLOS THAT ARE HARD TO FIND IN TODAY'S ROCK MUSIC'S LIMITED SKILLED PLAYERS. OFTEN, IF YOU LOVE GREAT GUITAR SOLOS, A LISTENER HAS TO DIVE INTO BLUES OR EVEN COUNTRY MUSIC BECAUSE ROCK AND ROLL GUITAR PLAYERS JUST DO NOT KNOW HOW TO CREATE COMPLICATED, ADVENTUROUS RIFFS.
TONIC HAVE PUT TOGETHER AN ILLUSTRIOUS ASSORTMENT OF TUNES THAT TOUCH ON GENRES SUCH AS: COUNTRY, POP AND ROCK WHILE STAYING TRUE TO THEIR OWN SOUND. IT IS CLEAR THAT THE BAND ENTERED THE WRITING PROCESS KNOWING EXACTLY WHAT THEY WANTED THE FINISHED PRODUCT TO SOUND LIKE. THERE IS NOT ONE SONG THAT DEVIATES FROM THE THEME THEY INTENDED TO PRESENT.
WITH THE EXTENSIVE TOURING THIS BAND HAS DONE, IT IS SURPRISING THAT THE CD LEFT THE CHARTS SO QUICKLY AFTER ENTERING. MUSICALLY INCLINED FANS WHO GO TO THEIR SHOWS HAVE THEIR HANDS ON THE HEART OF WHAT MAKES ROCK AND ROLL STILL A VIABLE COMMODITY. AS THE BAND SINGS "PLEASE SEND A MESSAGE" FANS SHOULD COMPLY AND LET THE MUSIC INDUSTRY KNOW WE WILL NOT TOLERATE THE RE-FILTERED DELUDED JUNK. THEY CATER TO THE KIDS BUT THE KIDS DO NOT BUY THE NEW RELEASES, THEY DOWNLOAD AND TRADE IT FOR FREE. I MYSELF LOVE FILE SHARING BECAUSE IT GIVES ME A PREVIEW OF WHAT AN ALBUM MAY SOUND LIKE BEFORE PURCHASE.
EMERSON HART, JEFF RUSSO AND DAN LAVERY ARE CLEARLY A POWERHOUSE TRIO IN THE WORLD OF ROCK 'N' ROLL. THE ATROCITY OF THIS CD IS THAT IT ENDS AT 12 TRACKS UNLESS YOU DOWNLOAD " DAFFODIL" FROM ITUNES BUT IT STILL DOE NOT SEEM LIKE ENOUGH. NOW IT IS TIME FOR ME TO GO BACK INTO THE ARCHIVES OF TONIC AND FILL UP ON SOME GOOD ROCK MUSIC FROM THEIR FIRST THREE RELEASES.
11/29/10
RUSTY
5/4/10