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On disc: Jimi Jamison



Crossroads Moment - Claudia Ehrhardt - 9 stars
Never Too Late - Claudia Ehrhardt - 9 stars


www.jimijamison.com







Never Too Late

Never Too Late
(Frontiers Records - 2012)


Last year Jimi Jamison teamed up with Bobby Kimball for an album, now he's back with a solo album. It seems that Mr. Jamison became a workaholic...

Never Too Late is kicked off by Everybody's Got A Broken Heart, an up-tempo rocker with a positive vibe. This is pure fun! This one could have been the soundtrack of the summer... Well, there is always another summer ahead of us. After The Great Unknown he slows down a bit, the opening passage of Never Too Late is very balladesque, but then they speed up a little and the title track becomes a catchy rocker. But it's the rocker Street Survivor which had me from the start, it's definitely one of my favorites! And yes, you can detect some references to Survivor in that one. More balladesque is The Air That I Breathe, but it's also quite bombastic... And a bit 80s-like. Calling The Game is an arena rock tune par excellence. With piano starts Bullet In The Gun, but then the song becomes a rocker. It's a sonic roller coaster ride, some passages have a melancholy edge while others are powerful and insisting. Organ and vocals take you into Heaven Call Your Name, a striking tune - with a sad note. It shows Jimi Jamison more fragile, another facet of the singer - and I would love to hear more of this side. Later in the song it becomes bombastic and heavy - but still touching. The closer is called Walk On (Wildest Dreams) and represents the heavier side of Jimi Jamison, but it isn't another happy rocker, even if the chorus has a positive vibe. In my opinion not the best way to end the album, but again this is a matter of taste.

Jimi Jamison is still a great singer and still underrated! If you love AOR and hard rock, then check out the new Jimi Jamison album - now!


9 stars

Claudia Ehrhardt
 

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Crossroads Moment

Crossroads Moment
(Frontiers - 2008)


Jimi Jamison is known mainly as the singer of Survivor, but he was also the vocalist of Cobra and Target. In 2006 he released the last album with Survivor and is now back with a solo album called Crossroad Moments. But with Jim Peterik he has a friend from his days in Survivor as co-producer and songwriter. The album was recorded earlier this year in Peterik's World Stage Studios. The songs been written by Jim Peterik who was inspired by conversations with Jimi Jamison and so kinda turned Jimi's life into music.

With Battersea Jimi kicks off and shows right from the start that he will deliver rock tunes with soaring melodies, passion and a great hook. At Battersea you get a heavy rocker with cool guitar parts - played by Tommy Denander! - and which will hook you up right away! If Battersea didn't get you, then Can't Look Away will do! Starting slowly Jimi and his mates speed up a bit, heavy riffs stand against the emotional vocals. The chorus is catchy and soon will haunt you! No surprise that the songs rock, have great melodies and level heaviness and melody as Jim Peterik also took over the guitar and keyboard, but was joined on guitar by Mike Aquino and Joel Hoekstra while the keyboard was partly played by Chris Cullen and Jeff Lanz. While the rhythm section is built of Peterik alumnis Ed Breckenfeld on drums and Klem Hayes and Bill Syniar on bass. Make Me A Beliver gets it punch from Night Ranger Kelly Keagy's drumming. The title track Crossroads Moment is an up-tempo rocker which kinda describes the situation of Jamison when working at this album. Jimi Jamison felt like he was standing at a crossing, looking at his past and looking into future where he wants to use the experiences of his past with Cobra, Target and Survivor to turn into future... An emotional tune which also carries a positive vibe, coz Jamison is convinced that his career will continue - and even after a few songs you know, that he has no reason to doubt it. At Bittersweet he got joined for a duet by Starship singer Mickey Thomas, who is just one of the guests on Crossroads Moment. One of my favorites is Behind The Music, that one got me right away. It starts slowly, then becomes a catchy mid-tempo rocker. The ingredients are the same, so it's probably the passion... the intensity of the vocals where Jimi tells about the life behind the music... the life with music... his musical life. A fast rocker is Love The World Away which gets it kick from the guitar and will soon make you sing along! Another ear catcher! Actually this album can shine with every tune! And Jimi Jamison can even surprise you with twists and turns.

But the absolute highlight is the last tune When Rock Was King where he gathered some friends to share vocal duties - a video of this one you also get on the disc. His supporters were Don Barnes (38 Special), Mike Reno (Loverboy), Mickey Thomas (Starship), Dave Bickler (original Survivor singer) and Joe Lynn Turner! The song is a tribute to the 80's where they had all dreams and visions.

Well, fans of Survivor or Night Ranger or Joe Lynn Turner should get a copy! If you have doubts, then pick any 2 songs! AOR / hard rock played at a high level and passionate vocals.


9 stars

Claudia Ehrhardt
 

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           ©2008-2014 by Claudia Ehrhardt • E-Mail: contact@ice-vajal.com


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