SONG REVIEWED: "All is Forgiven"
FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE UNFAMILIAR WITH ANDY TIMMONS PAST WORK, HE USED TO PLAY WITH DANGER DANGER IN THE LATE 80'S/EARLY 90'S (AND STILL DOES SOME RECORDING WITH THEM OCCASIONALLY) OK, SO THE MARKET FOR A SHREDDING ALBUMS IN THE UNITED STAES ISN'T WHAT IT USED TO BE, BUT THESE VIRTUOSO PLAYERS CAN'T JUST SHRIVEL UP AND DIE. WHAT DO THEY DO? WELL, MOST OF THEM HEAD TO FOREIGN SOIL, NAMELY JAPAN, WHERE THE MARKET ISN'T AS FICKLE AS IT IS HERE. WHILE WE GET POUNDED WITH FOURTEEN DIFFERENT VERSIONS OF BRITNEY SPEARS AND THE BACKSTREET BOYS, PEOPLE LIKE ANDY CAN GO OVERSEAS AND ENJOY SOME MODERATE SUCCESS IN LARGE VENUES. "ALL IS FORGIVEN" BEGINS WITH A CLEAN, GROOVE-ORIENTED GUITAR TONE, AND QUICKLY BECOMES A LOT MORE AGGRESSIVE, DISPLAYING ANDY'S SOLOING ABILITY, WHICH IS SOME OF THE CLEANEST I HAVE EVER HEARD. THE SONG IS WELL-CRAFTED, BUT A LITTLE SHORT ON MELODY, WHICH REALLY WOULD HAVE PUT IT OVER THE TOP. HIS PLAYING DOES COMPENSATE SOMEWHAT, BUT IT REALLY DOESN'T MATTER HOW MANY LICKS YOU CAN FIT INTO A SONG IF THE SONG ITSELF ISN'T ANYTHING TO SCREAM ABOUT.
