Album review ROBIN MCAULEY

SOULBOUND

REVIEWER – GRAEME WRIGHT

‘Soulbound’ is the third album release from legendary singer Robin McAuley on the Frontiers record label. I enjoyed the previous two records quite a bit but for this third release the singer has upped the ante to say the least. It’s the heaviest of the three records by a country mile and working with a new producer has pushed the singers vocal right to the front and it’s just amazing how good his voice still is after all these years. If you add into the mix a couple of new musicians of the highest quality, all the building blocks are in place to produce something special.

So, the signs are all positive but without high quality songs you can combine all the raw talent in the world and still come up short. Fortunately for us this album contains more than it’s fair share of prime cuts and it’s easily the best thing Robin has produced for this label. From opening track ‘’Til I Die’ the ground rules are laid squarely on the table. High energy music, a set of musicians who are clearly top drawer and as always a singer who defies all of his seventy two years and sounds as fresh as he did all those years ago when he fronted Grand Prix, the McAuley Schenker Group and the Far Corporation amongst many others.

‘Soulbound’ is an epic cut with more than a touch of Deep Purple about it. It’s ominous, heavy and fresh and immediate all at the same time. ‘The Best Of Me’ is another thunderous beast that flies along like an out of control express train with an intense and powerful chorus, while ‘Crazy’ slows things down a touch and takes us back to the eighties for a chill out track that would sound perfect on the beach just as the sun is about to go down. Robins voice is so great on this one – powerful, romantic and affecting, but with that touch of power where required. ‘Let It Go’ is another song that gets its hooks straight into you from the very first listen. It wouldn’t be out of place on a mid-eighties Aerosmith album with its snaking main guitar groove combined with a back line to die for.

‘Wonders Of The World’ is another song that is straight out of the traps and never looks like it’s going to be caught as it hits the home straight. It’s probably my favourite song on the entire record with its earworm chorus and another great performance from the entire band.

‘One Good Reason’ keeps the wagons rolling while the oddly titled ‘Bloody Bruised And Beautiful’ is another full throttle heavy beauty. ‘Paradise’ assaults the ears with roaring feedback at its opening, and while it’s perhaps a touch on the generic side it’s still ahead of most of the music released in this genre these days. ‘Born To Die’ is the penultimate song on the album and it keeps the quality incredibly high, almost sounding like something Magnum might have released back in the day. The final song ‘There Was A Man’ rounds things off in fine style and is a track I’d love to hear in the live arena.

Robin McAuley has always been one of the best in the business and if you like this genre of music this is one of the very best releases of the last few years. Highly recommended, get your wallet out and add this one to your collection.

BAND

Robin McAuley – Vocals

Andrea Seveso – Guitars

Alessandro Mammola – Guitars

Aldo Lonobile – Bass Guitar/additional Guitars

Alfonso Mocerino – Drums

Antonio Agate – Additional Keyboards

ALBUM TRACK LIST

1. ‘Til I Die

2. Soulbound

3. The Best Of Me

4. Crazy

5. Let It Go

6. Wonders Of The World

7. One Good Reason

8. Bloody Bruised And Beautiful

9. Paradise

10. Born To Die

11. There Was A Man