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Angel - Helluva Band (1976) (1994)
It's a real shame that this band is one of the forgotten, because this record is a classic. With high energy songs led by powerhouse vocals and dazzling keyboard effects, this is a must for all classic rock fans. "Feelin' Right" is the straight forward rocker that kicks off the record; and it's a song that utilizes the simple classic rock formula, while incorporating a sharp and resounding vocal track to do the driving. The swirling artistry of Giuffria's keyboards was really what Angel's existence was based on though. Even on a simple straight forward rocker like this opening track, Giuffria's presence is a constant. If it's not trading licks with guitarist Punky Meadows on "Feelin' Right", it's mesmerizing us with a four minute intro on "The Fortune". Every song contains a large dose of over-the-top keyboards from an amazing player. Speaking of "The Fortune".....it just happens to be the second track on the lp. A personal favorite of mine, "The Fortune" is a progressive masterpiece. A song that transmits emotion at every twist and turn. An ominous keyboard intro leads to a delicate acoustic guitar and voice moment, which ultimately culminates in a menacing jam where we hear from every member of the band. As the album progresses, we see the classic verse-chorus-verse formula put into dramatic effect. With songs like "Anyway You Want It", "Mirrors", and "Chicken Soup" Angel utilizes every element at their disposal to make simple classic rock songs sound like something special. The spark in these songs is usually Giuffria's keys, and when it's not..... you can count on Dimino's vocals to keep you entranced. The combination of these two entities is best heard on the eloquent ballad "Feelings". A soaring and passionate joining of a tremendous vocal effort, underscored by a classical inspired piano piece. Still, in my opinion, one of the most emotional and beautiful rock ballads ever.
All of this talk about the singer and keyboard player leads one to believe that the band may be in need of a decent guitar player, right? Nah. Guitarist Punky Meadows leaves his mark on these songs also. Tracks such as "Angel Theme", which is for the most part a guitar solo, "Dr. Ice" and "Feelings" all contain excellent guitar parts. This is a rare case of a very good guitar player, sharing time with a literal genius on keyboards. Angel made this situation work unlike anyone else. And, finally, let's mention the rhythm section of drummer Barry Brandt and bassist Mickey Jones. Putting a solid backbone on all these tracks we lose sight of their important role here. With so much going on in front of them, they need to lay a thick foundation for all of these other elements to stand upon, and they do exactly that. Bassist Jones stays simple and steady, while Brandt bangs the skins with an intensity that stays consistent and solid. This record was an all around effort by a band that had reached their peak.
Angel attempted a reunion of sorts in 1999, in which they released an album entitled "In The Beginning". The record had original members Dimino and Brandt, being visited by Meadows and Jones' 1978 replacement on bass, Felix Robinson. The album saw no success, and the reunion effort soon dissipated. The chemistry and magic was with Angel for a very short period of time, and "Helluva Band" remains the best of that magical time...Dr. Music
Codec: mp3
Bitrate: 320 kB/s
Size: 101 MB
Genre : Rock
2000mustangs
Line-up
Greg Giuffria (keyboards)
Frank DiMino (vocals)
Barry Brandt (drums)
Punky Meadows (guitar)
Mickey Jones (bass)
Tracklist:
01 Feelin' Right 4:42
02 The Fortune 8:40
03 Anyway You Want It 2:31
04 Dr. Ice 5:23
05 Mirrors 4:28
06 Feelings 5:42
07 Pressure Point 5:26
08 Chicken Soup 4:46
09 Angel Theme 2:32
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Post je objavljen 19.01.2010. u 00:36 sati.