Remember Reb Beach? Probably not, which is actually a shame, because his
playing was some of the hottest stuff to come out of the eighties as the
lead guitarist in WINGER. Yup, Winger. Now don't start thinking like Beavis and Butthead and not give this a chance. First off, Winger was a group of highly
talented musicians who put out some really well done albums, particuarly the
grossly overlooked PULL. But all things aside, grunge ruined any chance
this band ever had of getting bigger.
Beach continued with his carrer by joining Alice Cooper's band and then
pulling a intense, albiet brief stint in eighties rockers Dokken. On his
first 'official' solo album, Beach pulls out all the stops and shows you
what he is capable of with his guitar, voice and songwriting skills. This
disc is all vocal, so don't expect some wanking, shred like disc. Beach is a
highly polished, world class musician with tons of chops and taste to throw
into every note he plays. The disc opens with the killer 'Dark Places', with
a heavily layered sound thick with guitars, swirling effects and a rock
solid rythm section pulling it altogether. Reb's voice is good, a cross
between Kip Winger and Don Dokken. What makes this disc work are the songs.
Each song takes many twists and turns and steers clear from the typical
cliches that so many artists from the eighties are stuck on (YNGWIE!!!!).
Reb continues the flow with the fantastic, uplifting 'Better Shade of Grey',
which has a terrfic hook and chorus. The vocals are layered and this is
where the Winger comparisons can shine through. Huge, anthemic chorus' were
a staple for that band and Reb lets that influence ride his sleeve
throughout the entire album. The highest accolades can be paid to Reb for
his playing on this disc, which sounds fresh, rejuvinated and powerful. The
tones are thick and crisp and his leads sing over the melodies effortlessly.
The Cd conitunues in the dark, grungier vein with "Fanatic" and "Bleed", but
the more introspective numbers such as "Sorrow Stained Eyes" and "Love So
True", showcase Reb Beach the songwriter. These tracks display his uncanny
use of melody, dynamics and mood to create tracks that remain memorable and
interesting for the listener. This album will be available on all the
internet stores in late January. If you guitarist out there are interested
in hearing Reb shred like no tommorow, check out his 'Fusion Demo' available
from his website.
