Review by Paul Davis
Release Date: 24 March 2014
‘Everybody wants to be a singer in a band’. James Toseland may be better known as a double world superbike champion but here he is living the dream for the second time. Produced by the in-demand Toby Jepson (The Virginmarys, The Answer, Saxon), the former Little Angels frontman also co-wrote and became a mentor to Toseland.
The singles ‘Life Is Beautiful’ and ‘Crash Landing’ shine but there are a number of songs on this album with big riffs and even bigger choruses that will be lapped up by rock radio listeners. ‘Singer in a Band’ could be the next hit, so incredibly catchy. With the involvement of Jepson, it’s perhaps not surprising that there are echoes of his old band, most notably on the closing ‘Renegade’.
This is the sound of James Toseland returning to his first love of music, delivering an album packed with quality, classic hard rock. ‘Just No Way’ is a power ballad beautifully lead by Toseland on piano (he’s a grade 6 pianist). His playing is also to the fore on the intro to ‘Kingdoms’. As far as vocal influences go, on ‘Good Eye Blind’ and ‘Gotta Be a Better Way’, Glenn Hughes is the name that comes to mind. A hugely promising debut.
7 out of 10
Track Listing:
- Life Is Beautiful
- Gotta Be a Better Way
- Singer In a Band
- Crash Landing
- Just No Way
- Comin’ To Get Ya
- Good Eye Bind
- Kingdoms
- Burning the System
- Emergency
- Renegade
