STYLE: Rock RATING OUR PRODUCT CODE: 4424-2733 LABEL: Independent FORMAT: CD Album ITEMS: 1
Reviewed by Mike Rimmer
Hmmm. not sure about all of this! Certainly Mr V (John P Volz to the IRS and no relation to Greg X - as far as I am aware) can write a song and vocally he can kick up a storm. But there's something that doesn't ring quite true in some of his vocal histrionics when he goes for broke on ballads like "Mercy Rain" and "Here I Am". Instead of being inspired, I am wincing not because he's singing off key but just the whole overblown American AOR style of this recording. It's formulaic rather than inspiring but then there are moments where it all does work, like the title cut where he engages in a bit of blue eyed soul and it's great. So is "Sometime, Somewhere" which is funk rock and "You Are Who You Are" which is out and out rock. He even has a shot at the Golden Earing oldie "Radar Love" which is too much of a classic to be re-invented though you have to admire Johnny V's audacity. It just feels as though he's trying too hard to impress.
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hmmmm....thanks for the review, I think....(I spoke with
Greg X years ago and we are related) Thanks for the small
round of applause on my song writing and chops....to be
truthful you are acurate in much of your assessment! I
toured with a full band for years and when I came off the
road I did two or three solo projects with me, a
producer/engineer in the studio and no "band"...the result
is what you call "overblown American AOR style of
recording"...so, bravo...you are correct.....two points I
would argue with: Radar Love is my favorite, and if I
recorded it just for me; so be it...even though I was
contacted by a publishing company that published the
greatest Radar Love songs ever remade and mine was one of
them!! So, maybe I am loaded with audacity, who knows
(certainly sin!) And for the grand finale...not trying at
all to impress, thats probably the problem...if I was I
probably would have flown to Nashville, LA or drove two
hours to NYC, had a sweet band play all the songs and sat
back waiting to impress the world...either way, thanks for
your review....I dont take myself too seriously anymore, so
all is well...my new band, Negative Split is really hot,
with all world class players, so maybe I'll get another shot
from you sometime soon!
hmmmm....thanks for the review, I think....(I spoke with Greg X years ago and we are related) Thanks for the small round of applause on my song writing and chops....to be truthful you are acurate in much of your assessment! I toured with a full band for years and when I came off the road I did two or three solo projects with me, a producer/engineer in the studio and no "band"...the result is what you call "overblown American AOR style of recording"...so, bravo...you are correct.....two points I would argue with: Radar Love is my favorite, and if I recorded it just for me; so be it...even though I was contacted by a publishing company that published the greatest Radar Love songs ever remade and mine was one of them!! So, maybe I am loaded with audacity, who knows (certainly sin!) And for the grand finale...not trying at all to impress, thats probably the problem...if I was I probably would have flown to Nashville, LA or drove two hours to NYC, had a sweet band play all the songs and sat back waiting to impress the world...either way, thanks for your review....I dont take myself too seriously anymore, so all is well...my new band, Negative Split is really hot, with all world class players, so maybe I'll get another shot from you sometime soon!