Thursday, June 9, 2016

NO SINNER: "Old Habits Die Hard"

Rating: RRr
Label: Provogue/Mascot 2016
Review by: Urban "Wally" Wallstrom

... And the best artwork of the year award goes to... nah.... just kidding. They simply decided to grab a pic from their recent Tequila party and use it as the album cover? Blimey. Old Habits DO Die Hard!? I haven't been listening to any No Sinner in the past so this is a first experience and the very first thing that hits you, right between the eyes, the howling and haunting vocals.

Colleen Rennison. The former actor and sci-fi nerd. She's done stuff with the likes of Bruce Willis, Ray Liotta, and Michelle Pfeiffer. She's also a proper belter and powerhouse singer that oozes of blues and attitude. Clearly not one of them Britney Spears wannabees (Thank Lord!) and according to Colleen and I quote, "it's easy to compare me with the likes of Janis Joplin, Etta James, or even Robert Plant", end quote. Blimey. They do have thoughts. Actually. Yours truly compare himself to the likes of Albert Einstein and The Boogeyman. Cause I'm the genius as well as the urban legend. Let's just say that Rennison is a darn good in fact sort of great singer, but no legend and definitely no Etta or Joplin. Sass Jordan, a more correct comparison.

The album is more or less a roller coaster ride with too many ups and downs. Unfortunately. To each superb track, such as one of my favorite songs of the year "When The Bell Rings", there's a couple of dodgy ones. Well let's just say that "Old Habits Die Hard" is slow Blues death at first then picks up, but losing some of its impetus during the middle section as well as towards the end. I'm still not sure what "One More Time" and "Mandy Lyn" are supposed to be all about? It's got that acid meet flower-power trippy blues that goes nowhere and eventually dies in the corner. Final verdict: Great vocals. Some truly great songs. But, overall, just a tad too weak material.

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