B-Joe - Ready To Ride
Another of the small number of bands who adorned the Olafssongs' label was B-Joe.
'Ready To Ride' was the band's second album, released in 1993.
The band name is something of a giveaway, as their music is clearly modelled on the early period, faux Western rock of New Jersey's finest.
Doesn't make them bad people of course. Let's be honest, Jaded Heart have built a career on such ambition.
That said, there's an almost incestuous melodic rock feel to many of these tracks.
Like 'Rock'n'Roll Junkie' and the title track 'Ready To Ride', which alternately sound like Fair Warning and Bonfire aping JBJ. In fairness, the first goes a little further, recalling Fair Warning's 'Rainmaker' album... an emphasis on acoustic guitar stylings, massed bgvs and the creation of big canvas soundscapes, as well as sharp hooks and punchy melodies.

'Dirty Street's prescient Countrified flavour could quite easily have provided the template for today's JBJ, and the Country rock continues with 'Don't Wanna Lose You' and 'Lies'. The first employing a gospel choir to boost the song's sentimental undertow, the second relying on a neat and simple hook.

'Brand New Start' melds Fair Warning and The Eagles' in a radio friendly ballad. Cheesy, unoriginal and totally hypnotic.
The epic, widescreen 'Alright Now' ups the ante. Full blown, full blooded harmonies and a sturdy melody carry this track through familiar melodic rock terrain. You want to like it, but you know only too well that it's all been overdone before.

'All The Nights' closes the album in style. When you hear it, you'll readily and eagerly forgive earlier indiscretions. It's a powerful and passionate track that will remind you of the Scorpions when they were great. Yes, it's derivative, and yes the band remain chameleons, taking on the colours of their various rock'n'roll heroes. But when they do it this well, you have to give them credit.

Written by Brian
Wednesday, October 10, 2007
Show all reviews by Brian

Ratings

Brian: 5.5/10

Members: No members have rated this album yet.


This article has been shown 2529 times. Go to the complete list.



RevelationZ Comments











Review by Brian

Released by
Olafssongs - 2007

Tracklisting
Rock'N'Roll Junkies
Ready To Ride
Dirty Streets
Don't Wanna Lose You
Forty Days
Lies
Brand New Start
Alright Now
All The Nights


Originally released in 1993


Style
Country Rock / Melodic rock

Related links
Visit the band page

Other articles
B-Joe - (Michael)



Z supported shopping






Ratings
1 - Horrifying
2 - Terrible
3 - Bad
4 - Below average
5 - Average
6 - Good
7 - Very good
8 - Outstanding
9 - Genius
10 - Masterpiece
666 - Unrated

More details...


Daily Spotlight
Elegy - Labyrinth of Dreams (Reissue)
CoverHaving sold more than a quarter of a million albums in their career, it often seems that the Netherlands pro....
Read full review















Retro Reviews

(Brian)
Signal - Loud & Clear
CoverA spontaneous 'Hey!', from the incomparable Mark (before he was Marcy) Free over the first few explosive bars of opener, 'Arms Of A Stranger' suggests that ....
Read full review






(Hashman)
Yngwie Malmsteen - Facing the Animal
CoverAll hail to Mercury Records for releasing what was one of the most stand out Metal records in the nineties, which oddly enough came from a major label, especially at a time when most commercial record....
Read full review








Archive
 · Albums of the month
 · Retro Reviews
































Back to the top - © 2002-2011 RevelationZ Magazine - Back to the top