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Built around UFO frontman Phil Mogg, the band $ign Of 4 released their debut album Dancing With St. Peter in 2002, but being rather difficult release to find, I just recently heard the album. Joining Mogg on the record are guitarist Jeff Kollman, drummer Shane Gaalaas and bassist Jimmy Curtain of which both Kollman & Gaalaas did good job playing with Mogg and UFO bassist Pete Way on the duo's brilliant Mogg/Way albums "Edge Of The World" and "Chocolate Box". Dancing With St. Peter has a lot in common with both Mogg/Way albums and (especially latest) UFO albums. Still, as a whole, DWSP sounds quite different - featuring more slower tempo songs, a large dose of blues and some funky touches here and there, up-tempo hard rock elements have gotten much less room on this one. The collaboration between Phil Mogg and Jeff Kollman works like a charm; Phil's deep, soulful voice is as good as ever, as he adjusts the vocals to the emotions of each song while Kollman's guitar playing varies from heavy, chunky riffs to beautiful acoustic melodies that together with Phil's vocals give the songs a lot of strength. The rythm section of Curtain & Gaalaas hold their own very well, but remain in a supporting role behind Mogg & Kollman. The songs range from beautiful ballady songs like "Seems To Me" that closes the album to weighty stuff like it's opener "Overload". There aren't faster tempo hard rock songs that Mogg/Kollman duo wrote and executed well on Chocolate Box, and I personally feel DWSP could've used a couple of those, if for no other reason then simple for the fact that such songs on Chocolate Box were just so damn good. Anyways, DWSP is pretty enjoyable album with some really good songs on it - The title song is my favourite, an excellent beautiful ballad with mesmerising combinations of acoustic and electric guitars that lure you into the song, and on to the excellent chorus part that's bound to stuck in your head. Brilliant. "After Glow" is a funky song that wouldn't be too impressive without another great chorus that alone lifts the song to a higher level. "Las Meadows Sanctum Divine" is another fine track, and also this one features cool guitars and a very enjoyable melodic chorus. A couple of songs on the album don't impress me much, especially "Clap Hands", a Tom Waits cover that (to me) sounds really boring ... A very bluesy slow song "Beautiful Friend" gets a bit boring after a few listens as well, even though it has some very nice acoustic guitar patterns. But as they make the good songs even better, Mogg's vocal performance and Kollman's talented guitar playing also save a lot on weaker songs. But - even though there are some really good songs, I feel like DWSP's lack of the hard rock edge makes it less good then for example Chocolate Box or UFO's latest release Sharks. I guess it's really up to the listener though, while I might prefer the less-bluesy approach, those who are more into blues rock might add an additional star to the rating.
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Captain Scurvy / May 2003 |
