Challenge - Acoustic Universe | ||
| Tracks:
Words |
Album Cover: |
Label: ALV Music Producers: Arno Verstappen & Allison Lindsay Year: 1998 Total Playing Time: 41:06 mins:secs Review date: 6 Nov 1998 |
| Web site: http://home.earthlink.net/~challenge
Email: Challenge@Earthlink.net | ||
| Rating: 8 | ||
| Verdict: If you're like me and love classy female vocals, then accept the Challenge and give Allison & Arno the chance to let you into their Acoustic Universe. | ||
| Challenge are essentially a two piece outfit - Allison Lindsay on vocals & Arno Verstappen on guitar (& song-writing). The additional musicians featured here have played with the likes of Steve Vai, Alice Cooper & Sheryl Crow. Arno, originally from Holland, came to Los Angeles to study at the Guitar Institute of Technology & stayed to form a band, with Allison fulfilling the vocals job. Allison teaches at the Sabine Institute (For Vocal Strengthening and Development) in LA, which is famous for coaching the like of Axl Rose, Dave Mustaine & Dan Huff. Sometimes the title of a CD gives you a clue to what's in store, sometimes not. In this case, Acoustic Universe, is very appropriate. This album is an electric lead guitar free zone. All the lead guitar parts are played on acoustic guitar. Listening to Allison's voice Ann Wilson springs to mind. If Heart ever decided to go with an acoustic lead guitar they'd sound something like Challenge. I'm also reminded of Jamie Kyle's first album, which just happens to be a favourite of mine. Virtually all the songs work in this 'acoustic' mode, with "It's My Life" the only one where I'd like to hear some electric guitars. Picking highlight is difficult, as there are so many good songs on here. The couple of songs featuring some B3 organ ("Angel's Scared To Fly & "I'll Fight For You") both sound good to me, but top marks goes to "When Love Finds A Fool", which has a few Jamie Kyle-like qualities. Whilst I was waiting for this to arrive, I had the idea that I'd end up telling the guitarist to wise-up and plug his guitar in to mains & crank out some proper lead breaks. Well, I was wrong, because, with the exception mentioned above, I'm happy with the 'back to basics' approach the band have taken. I really admire guitarist, Arno, for taking a step back from the limelight and letting the vocals hog centre stage all to themselves. This 'back to basics' approach means that the vocalist is under immense pressure to deliver the goods. Fortunately, Allison's voice is up to the job and the vocals shine. But good vocals on their own aren't enough, but don't worry on this front either because some good song-writing and solid musicianship complete the package. If you're like me and love classy female vocals, then accept the Challenge and give Allison & Arno the chance to let you into their Acoustic Universe. | ||
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