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Alias Eye -
In Focus : : |
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Band/artist: Alias Eye
Title: In Focus
Released: 2007
Label: QuiXote Music |
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Track
listing:
1. I'm Your Lie
2. In Denial
3. The Call
4. Enlighten Them
5. Books
6. History Lesson
7. Rhodesian Rhapsody
8. Hold On
9. To Be or Not to Be...Revisited
10. Falling
11. How We Percieve...
(12. The Hidden Track) |
: : The Players : :
Ludwig Benedek
(drums), Frank Fischer (bass), Philip Griffiths (vocals), Vytas Lemke
(keyboards, accordion), Matthias Wurm (guitars). GUESTS: Anna-Sabrina
Lopp (vocals track 11) |
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: : In Focus : :
 German-based
band Alias Eye have been around for 9 years now, and In Focus is the
third release from this band of talented musicians. And on this release,
fans of old will get a surprise or ten.
Because this release clearly shows how much of an impact changing the
line-up of a band can have. In this case, the original guitar player
chose to leave, and his replacement brought with him a new musical
philosophy. From what the official biography on the band site describes;
Alias Eye under the influence of their new guitar player has adopted a
sort of a Keep It Simple Stupid philosophy; or maybe even a less is more
attitude. As well as added initiative to rock it out rather than
creating the big emotional soundscapes.
What can be said about the music offered here though is that it loosely
centered around a hard rock sound, with jazz, blues and funk influences.
In other words, it is a varied release. Often the individual songs here
are varied in structure and composition as well; where mellow fusion or
jazz-tinged parts can be followed by some meaty guitar bits. There's not
much grit to the sound though; the overall sound is more of the slick
and well produced variety.
Vocalist Griffiths is important to most songs here, as his voice is
given the task to add life and emotion to the mellower parts of songs,
as well to the piano-based ballads and the calm "last" song on the
album. A task Griffiths handles with bravado, for those interested in
above average vocal performances.
As for the individual songs here, they are as varied in quality as in
sound though. Some fillers, some good tunes, one killer tune and a few
that left me cold and indifferent. Inconsistency seems to be somewhat of
a trademark on this release by Alias Eye - and it may be that it is a
result of a band writing songs in a transitional phase; still getting
used to their new musical direction and their new guitar player.
There are enough good tracks on this release to warrant checking it out
though. Although varied, it's not a bad release overall. Recommended
tracks would be: "History Lesson" - a funk/fusion influenced tune with a
killer guitar theme straight out of Bates Motel, "I'm Your Lie"; a good
rocker with some mellow parts that kicks this album off, and "Books"; a
nice piano ballad with a good melody and the perfect length for such
songs.
Rating: 7 (out of 10)
Reviewer: Olav Björnsen
: : Visit the Artist’s
Website :
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: : Discography : :
In Focus (2007)
A Different Point of You (2003)
Field of Names (2001) |
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