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Most rock fans know Lou Gramm as the singer of Foreigner, but between his days with Foreigner he was also recording solo albums. His band Shadow King unfortunately recorded only one album, but for me it's still a masterpiece. Anyway, Lou Gramm has overcome brain cancer which changed him. After his parents passed away he finally hooked up with his brothers for live shows and now they present their first album - The Lou Gramm Band - and so fulfilled his parents wish.
They kick off with Baptized By Fire, a melodic rocker with crunchy guitars and a catchy hook. Lou Gramm's voice is a bit deeper now, more mid-range... But still emotional and touching! After a few spins this melody will haunt you! It's not an ear catcher like some of the Foreigner songs which you hear once and never forget, but if you give it time to grow it will stick. With Made To Be Broken the guitars get a bit heavier, but Andy Knoll's keyboard is adding a bombastic edge and so taking off the heaviness a bit. And Don Mancuso adds a nice solo. Acoustically they start Willing To Forgive, but then they add some power and the song becomes a melodic semi-acoustic tune. Lou Gramm's voice is up-front, but he gives space for another solo part. Sure, some will find his lyrics too preachy, but I think he manages very well and isn't pushing too hard. But this is a Christian rock album, and the faith is essential for Lou Gramm these days. After the so-so That's The Way God Planned It they offer a bluesy rocker with a slight boogie touch called (I Just Wanna) Testify - and this one carries a bit the Foreigner vibe! And with So Great they deliver another great rock song! Even if the kids choir in the middle of the song seems somehow out of place... Beside that, this song rocks! After some more rockers they finish the album with the balladedque You Saved Me. A touching tune and very intense! Well done!
A more then decent Christian Rock album and even as it shows Lou Gramm a bit different, he's still one of the best rock singers. Perhaps this one isn't as strong as his previous work, but he changed and so does his work. I can just recommend to listen to the album without comparing it with Foreigner or Shadow King, coz this is a different story. Good album and it's good to know that Lou Gramm haven't give up and is still rocking!
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