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GARBO TALKS | Garbo Talks | (MTM Music, 1998)

Only Love / Hard Times / This Could Be The Night / Elenah / Give You My Lovin' / Standing In The Same Room / Fire Me Up / Foolish Heart / Easy Come, Easy Go / I Live For You / Game Of Love

Garbo Talks is a project led by vocalist Jon Gorman, ex-Saraya guitarist Tony Bruno (also known for his work with Danger Danger) and ex-Foreigner & Spys keyboardist Al Greenwood.
It's safe to say that what they offer is nothing out of the ordinary. Well, the three first songs out are quite nice keyboard-oriented rock, with "This Could Be The Night" as personal favourite of the entire record. The album becomes slightly blusier after that, but still with some nice keyboard licks.
The overall feeling is that it sounds like a typical melodic hardrock record from the period around 1988/89. In some songs Dokken comes to mind, but they're far from as original. Who cares then if Paul Stanley, Bruce Kulick and the late Eric Carr (rip) are featured on one song?
Approved but nothing more.

Review by: Stefan

PAUL GILBERT | King Of Clubs | (Mayhem Records Ltd., 1998)

Champagne / Vinyl / Girls Who Can Read Your Mind / I'm Just In Love / The Jig / Girlfriend's Birthday / Bumblebee / Streetlights / My Naomi / Double Trouble / Million Dollar Smile / The Jam

That former Black Sheep/Racer X/Mr. Big guitarist Paul Gilbert could write descent tunes were no secret, he responsible for Mr. Big's classic "Green-Tinted Sixties Mind".
Still I was a bit sceptic, would this be a record that would only appeal to other guitar players? The answers is NO!
Style wise he's quite far from Mr. Big's melodic hardrock style as "King Of Clubs" has more of a power pop feeling. "Vinyl", with its Gene Krupa:ish drumbeat and "Girls Who Can Read Your Mind" are prime examples of his ability to write and perform great tunes. The music suits his careful voice perfect.
On "I'm Just In Love" he increases the tempo, plays a heavier riff and breaks in with a Spanish guitar doing a flamenco sounding solo. A song with different moods that still has that pop feeling.
"Bumblebee" and "Double Trouble" are 2 other tracks with a little heavier groove. "Streetslights" moves in a slower tempo, but still puts his guitar work in a front position - as it should be. Another blitzering power pop tune is "My Naomi", where Beatles influences can be traced.
Great songs, great playing, great arrangements...it's simply a great album!

Review by: Stefan

GOOD RATS | Cover Of Night | (Frontiers Records, 2000)

Cover of Night / Get It Right / Thunder Rocks My Soul / Feelin' Good Again / Love on the Beach / Evil Little Boy / Major Minor Chord / Crazy, Wild and Angry / She's Stayin' Home Tonight / Hotline / Snakebite / Football Madness

Good Rats are an American band that apparently have been around for years. I've heard of them before, but never heard their stuff until now. It's hard to pinpoint what their exact style they play because on this album there is several different styles displayed.
"Cover of Night" is an arena rocker in the highest degree. It has everything you could ask for - soaring guitars, very high energy and lots of attitude that will please fans of early nineties rock bands. Easily the best track on the disc. "Get It Right" is also a decent song that for some reason reminds me of classic Journey. Guitarist Gene Marchello does some excellent work on these songs - but the songs overall fall short of being anything special.
There are a few other hightlights and they include: "Love on the Beach" which is a great summertime rocker, "Crazy, Wild and Angry" which has an excellent groove throughout the song & "Hotline" which has that Extreme funk vibe going on. There's some decent songs on here, but nothing I haven't heard before.

Review by: Rob

GUILD OF AGES | One | (MTM Music, 1998)

Into The Night / Live To Fight / Will I Surrender / River Of Desire / I Believe / Walk The Line / Something Inside / Heaven Is Waiting / Looking For Love / Angels

Formerly known as Caught In The Act, Danny Martinez and co. is here with their 3rd effort.
After a promising debut their follow-up "Heat Of Emotion" lacked some power - frankly it was too damn safe & harmless.
Well, it's fine to be harmless if you do westcoast pop, but their old-fashioned hardrock style needs sharper guitar playing, which this album features.
A perfect example is "River Of Desire" where they let the heavier guitars run wild. Some more AOR:ish moods are captured too, "Heaven Is Waiting" is a prime example.
The 1st pressing also includes a bonus "CITA-Live Over Germany" disc.
One, which I really don't want to comment too much, except for the fact that it's a bit of a stiff.
Anyway, maybe GOA isn't only a "Diet-Axe" after all...

Review by: Stefan

GUILD OF AGES | Vox Dominatas | (MTM Music, 1999)

Let It Go / Change (Hey You) / Bring The Revolution On / Save Me Tonight / Jump In The Fire / Wish That I Was There / Set Me Free / When You Run Away / Waiting For The Dawn / Hungry Like The Wolf

Diet-Axe (aka Guild Of Ages, formerly known as CITA, formerly know as Caught In The Act yada yada...) is back with yet another release. Their second as Guild Of Ages, 4th all together. I know I might sound like the broken record, but what they had going on the first record "Relapse Of Reason (Empire Records, 1995) they have yet to live up to. If you have heard their previous efforts you know how this goes. Old fashioned hard rock. Nothing even close to spectacular. In fact the most remarkable thing with this release is their remake of Jonathan Cain's "Wish That I Was There With You". First of all the mid-tempo song doesn't suite them for one tiny bit. Second of all they have managed to completely kill a beautiful song. I was prepared, but I didn't thought it would be this awful.
The other remake is Duran Duran's "Hungry Like The Wolf", which they actually do rather good. It's cool!

Review by: Stefan