Mystic Healer - Mystic Healer | ||
| Tracks:
Crossed My Heart |
Album Cover: |
Label: MTM Producers: Mark Mangold Year: 1998 Total Playing Time: 53:33 mins:secs Review date: Jan 1999 |
| Web site: http://www.Indigorecords.com
Email: Indigoreco@aol.com | ||
| Rating: 8/9 | ||
| Verdict: Immerse yourself in a world of keyboards and great vocals. | ||
| Back in 1990 when some persons of dubious parentage decided that they needed my HiFi and the majority of my LP/CD collection more than I did, I was forced to go out, buy some new Hi-Fi equipment, and start my album collection again. The Hi-Fi was duly selected and on the morning before the guy from the shop came to set it up, I went into town to buy some CDs to test out the new system. I came back with two CDs - Michael Bolton's Soul Provider (OK, I'll admit it, despite this being the album where MB finally kicked AOR into touch, I like it) and Drive She Said - s/t. Whenever the guy came to set-up the Hi-Fi, he asked what I'd bought to test it out. I remember being shocked when I mumbled something about a band that I was sure he had never heard of called Drive She Said and he said "Oh yes, Mark Mangold". I had just met NI's other AOR fan. I remember having a great discussion with him about music and using the DSS CD to test the Hi-Fi. He eventually left and I got a chance to play my "wimpy" Michael Bolton CD. DSS was the first CD played on my Hi-Fi and restarted my collection, so apart from the superb music, that debut DSS album has a special meaning for me. I went on to buy Drivin' Wheel, their second album, but I wasn't as impressed and didn't bother with the third. I guess I really should check the recent DSS Best Of album (Road To Paradise). OK, so what has all that got to do with Mystic Healer? Well DSS was Mark Mangold and Al Fritsch. Mystic Healer sees Mark Mangold team up with Terry Googing, with Al Fritsch playing guitars & bass, plus doing some song writing. There is a whole host of well-known AOR figures playing/singing on (Bruce & Bob Kulick, Randy Jackson, Tony Bruno, Chuck Bonfante & Michael Bolton) and writing songs for (Michael Bolton, Aldo Nova, Tamara Champlin & Jack Ponti) the album. If you're not familiar with DSS, then Mark Mangold was in the band Touch, who released a cult classic album in the 80s and if you check the song writing credits on your copy of Michael Bolton's Everybody's Crazy you'll see Mark Mangold's name. There are a couple of new songs, but the majority of the songs originate from the late 80s/early 90s. It is not surprising then that the album has a very 80s feel to it. If you like your AOR heavy on the keyboards and high on melody, then you're going to enjoy this. It is very much in the same vein as those DSS albums, with a bit of early Michael Bolton thrown in as a result of the co-writes. Maybe I'm just a nostalgic old sod, but I'm really enjoying this and finding it hard to be objective when writing the review. The new Unruly Child album is good, and I'm sure many of you will prefer it to this one, but this is the one that has grabbed my attention. Just like the debut DSS album, it is difficult to select standout tracks. Just immerse yourself in a world of keyboards and great vocals that just seem to ooze emotion. It is like the past 10 years never existed. Take a trip down memory lane or discover just how good things used to be. Whatever, I think fans of the wimpier side of AOR will be in heaven with this release. | ||
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