Jack Blades

JACK BLADES ‘ guest-list read like the „who is who“ of American radio-rock of the 80s: Tommy Shaw (Styx) played the guitar as well as Journey’s Neal Schon and Michael Lardie of Great White. No wonder, Blades himself as the singer of Damn Yankees isn’t a newbee, at all.
And it’s his self-titled solo-debut, that is bursting with solid guitar-harmonies. Well, die beginning of the opener Sea Of Emotions sounds a little bit like a remake of Brian Adams‘ Run To You, and even the ballad Alone Tonight wakes the impression, that he, come hell or high water, wants to pick up to the Canadian’s faded fame.
But fortunately, this impression is dispelled at last in the chorus, when the rocking base is completed by dense background-vocals from the heights. As a soundtrack for a relaxed Sunday afternoon Sometimes You Gotta Have Faith should be recommended. In a wonderful mood BLADES purrs through the verses and changes in the choruses, supported by powerful guitar-chords and background-vocals, to almost outrageously positive lines I Believe In Love. Sure, the forthcoming single Nature’s Way comes along less encouragingly, but absolutely certain it might make one‘s feet bop.
With tracks like Who You Want To Be, Someday or Breaking It Down he discovers his seemingly faible for country-oriented referring to Tom Petty or George Harrison. Another step into the retro-rock-area á la Led Zeppelin are the riffs of Top Of The World.
Roundabout a very relaxed rock-album, with which BLADES once more proves his enormous songwriting talent and his sense grooving structures.