Higher Ground - Keep On Walkin'

Tracks:

Keep Walking
Make It Right
Through The Eyes Of Love
Dangerous Games
Reason
The Big Life

Label: ProActive
Producer: Michael Rosman
Year: 1997

Total Playing Time: 27:01 m:s

Higher Ground and ProActive are both new names to me. ProActive has Nick Shilton (Deputy Editor Frontiers) at the helm. Higher Ground are 5 young Swedish guys with a clean cut image that makes me think they've got their sights on the charts.

The blurb that came with this mentions that the band have been compared to Toto. Whilst I'll admit that Toto & Westcoast fall within the Melodic Rock banner, it isn't one of the areas that I've explored extensively. As coincidence would have it, I bought Toto's Tambu album a few weeks ago, to add some variety to my collection. I still haven't made up my mind wither I like it or not. So Higher Ground were always going to have their work cut out to impress me.

Keep Walking features a Westcoast/AOR sound. By the time we arrive at the second track, Make It Right, the Toto influence is really shining through. Through The Eyes Of Love seems to follow on naturally, but at a slightly slower pace. Dangerous Games shows a slightly more AOR approach. I've enjoyed all the tracks so far, but I'll pick this one as the album highlight.

The band then decides to slow things right down with Reason. At this point I kind of switch off. I've got exactly the same problem with the some of the slower numbers on the Toto album. I think we're into the areas that have prevented me from wholehearted embracing Westcoast. It's a shame, because I was really enjoying it up to this point. The final track lifts the pace again.

Higher Ground recorded the majority of this live in the studio, with just the luxury of adding the vocals and some guitar parts later. I think the idea behind this release is to wet our appetite for the full album. There is certainly enough on display here to make me think that the full album will be well worth a listen. While we are waiting for the full album, this is worth checking out, especially for Toto & Westcoast fans.

Rating: 7/8

Higher Ground's 'Keep On Walkin'' CD E.P. is now available by mail order direct from ProActive for #5.99 (UK), #6.99 (Europe) or #7.99 (Rest of the World) including post and packing. Cheques or International Money Orders should be made payable to 'ProActive Records Limited' and sent to 8 Arnold Mansions, Queen's Club Gardens, London W14 9RD, UK.