Friday, April 11, 2014

DEBORAH BONHAM - "Spirit"

RATING: RRR


Label: Spectra


Review By: Alan Holloway



Blessed (or cursed) with an instantly recognisable surname to any rock fan, Deborah Bonham has been recording music for twenty years now, although to be fair she hasn’t exactly been productive, with “Spirit” only her fourth solo album. What is evident to anyone who has seen her live is that prodigious or not, Deborah Bonham has a voice that encapsulates what blues rock is all about.

“Spirit” contains twelve new tracks, and flits between blues and country rock without really settling. Unsurprisingly, it’s the bluesy stuff that stands out best, such as the soulful opener “Fly”. Whilst the more country orientated tracks like “Take Me Down” are catchy enough they lack any real punch or passion. Bonham sounds great throughout, her vocals like honey in the ears, but I don’t get the sense of power from “Spirit” that I did when she supported FM a couple of years ago. In effect, this seems to be a rather watered down version of what I saw on that stage, with an undeniable talent but some forgettable songs.

What you have here is an easy listening album that is pleasant but uninspiring. The twelve tracks certainly don’t fly by, but when one jumps out at you it seems worth the wait. I suppose the most accurate thing I can say is that I like it, but not as much as I wanted to. 

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