RECENSIONE: Chris Catena - Freak Out!
From a few days I'm listening to the advance CD of what surely will be the definitive edition of the European issue of "Freak Out", distributed by Frontiers Records (the Japanese edition will contain a bonus track, Summertime, the superb and famous old classic written by George Gershwin). So I'm going to prepare a brief description of the songs, so you can have an anticipation of this album few days before it will be out in the stores.
Review by Giampietro Frulli.
CRAZY MAN. Strong start with an up-tempo in which stars are the great groove and the epic-melodic chorus. Chris's voice is really valuable and powerful, he has a great vocal extension and original stamp... and what a screams! A great contribution is given by the tank drumming of Tommy Aldridge, the guitars by Johnny Ohlin and Kelly Simonz catching each other in the solos, and the prog keyboards of the hypertechnician Vitalij Kuprji.
FREAK OUT TONIGHT. I know what you will say when you'll listen for the first time this intro. You'll say: "Hell, that's him..."! Yes, the vocal intro of this song is Glenn Hughes' matter. The entire song is modelled around his vocal character in which honorably merges with Chris in a classic dialog between the two singers. The song's got a Funk Rock vein that grows 'til explodes in a tribute to "Jungle Boogie" of The Kool & The Gang, at least! But Bruce Kulick remembers to us what's the meaning of an hard rock guitar solo and returns everyone down to Earth, where final chorus is a choir with Glenn & Chris and the Funky Pranksters (in which figures our Roberto Cosentino!!!)
HEY MAN (Freedom Calls). The tracklist is really well-engineered, and the third song is a power mid-tempo carried on by a great groove by drummer Daniel Flores and bassplayer Tony Franklin. Chris has got the job, knowing well how to assign a song to every musician. He gave everyone the possibility to put their mark in a song, but at the same time everyone got really involved in their song. That's the way things work good. And don't miss the great guitar licks by Stevie Salas... really not!
LADY STARLIGHT. This song got me good since the first listening. It's another mid-tempo with a really "singable" chorus in a major tone. And that vintage rock guitar sound of Bernie Mardsen... makes me return back to the great Whitesnake! That groove (which never fails) is then carried on by Myron Dove and Stefano Baldasseroni. "Lady Starlight... please don't break my heart again...!" Sing Chris, sing!
DESIRE. Again the Funk-Rock vein in a burst out way, with an original John Taylor really headed into the slap bass! Another one with the Funky Pranksters (starring again our Roberto...!), that follow the ravishing Chris to make a really strong chorus. I underline one more time the importance of the groove in all of Chris Catena songs.
TAKE ME AWAY. As in a live performance, Vivien Lalu introduces with an outstanding Hammond riff this up-tempo really Eighties-style. This is an interesting piece of music, from the guitars by Dave Meniketti to the rest of the band. But a special mention goes to the bass playing of Nobby, effective and stylish. The choirs of Chris are really superb.
TO A FRIEND. The guitar harmonics let you slide into this song, a ballad from the Seventies. But I can't forget to make a parallel with another great song that surely had changed many lives among us, me too. I'm talking about "Coast to Coast". An important tribute, in which we can better estimate Chris's voice because here is the undoubted star.
WHAT YOU GONNA DO WHEN YOUR LOVE IS GONE. State-of-the-art funk in this duet with Jeff Scott Soto that starts the first verse with his classical scream. The scheme is the verse-to-verse duel between singers. A mention apart must be made to the violent but lovely Stevie Salas guitar solo. And what can you say about the bass line by Doug Wimbish? Another song that works, guys.
SWEET TALKER. Let's get into the cover world... Sweet Talker is a song that hasn't enough adjectives to be described such beautiful. Add the fact that the guitar work is made by the glorious couple Moody-Mardsen, pratically we are on the Olympus! The slide guitar by Micky Moody, the power drums of Eric Singer, the background Hammond by Enrico Cosimi, the guitar solos by Bernie Mardsen. Say more? A song that puts up everyone togheter.
DON'T STOP RUNNIN'. Johnny Ohlin's guitar does the job to introduce this mid-tempo, followed side-by-side by the neoclassical Kelly Simonz. The song is carried on by a powerful groove... Tommy Aldridge and Nobby. My praises to this great bass player. On the shields the solemn voice of Chris. Power, precision, impact.
FOLLOW ME. Hard 'n' blues up-tempo. Another good song that will bang your head. Out on a chopper, enjoying the road, wind in-your-face, you and your woman behind you. Stop to a bar, ask for a foaming double malt. This and much other is Follow Me. For example the sliding guitar riffs by Micky Moody. Or the question-answer between Chris and The Funky Prankster (Roberto's there again...)
GIMME YOUR LOVE. Break up song, with so much groove to give thanks to the funk guitars. And the "usual" high-singable chorus that will use your head as home for days "Cause I've got you face to face"... Chris challenged all of us in this fight, and he rides fast this wave. I like the guitar bridges arranged by Stevie Salas and Max Spurio.
GETTIN' TIGHTER. Cover again... Chris Catena proposes his version of this great classic of the unlucky Tommy Bolin's Deep Purple. A song that we often listened to in Glenn's live performances. Another Stevie Salas job at the guitars. The slap bridge is assigned to Frank de Groot. A song like this is always a pleasure to listen. The original solution here is the use of a female choir. I like very much that. But an outstanding work has been done by Virgil Donati with his double bass drum bombs in the end!
THE STRONGER YOU ARE, THE HARDER YOU FALL. This is the classic Hard-Blues song. Bluesy guitar riffs, melodic and grooving vocals, the beasty rhythm background assigned to Chuck Wright and Eric Singer, and the original female backing vocal made by Katia Salemi, that gives a "soul" touch to everything.
IT'S A LONG WAY TO GO. Chris leaves us with a promise, that it's a long way to go to say everything. And he's helped by John Lawton, in a touching performance of this mid-tempo. This epic song is the end of this long journey, with the guitars by Marco Capasso and Yuri Roveri, the bass by Aleks Ferrara, the strong drumming by Mauro Munzi, the scratching Hammond backgrounds by Enrico Cosimi. Everything assisted by Davide Spurio's programming. And as the cherry on the cake the unmistakable, powerful, extended and enthusiast voice of Chris Catena.
GIAMPIETRO FRULLI