DOOGIE WHITE & LA PAZ – The Dark And The Light (2013)
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DOOGIE WHITE & LA PAZ finally debuted last year -after 25 years struggling on their purpose- with the very good ‘Granite’, but that album saw the band revisiting material from their original incarnation back in the mid-eighties.
Their new CD “The Dark And The Light” consist of songs freshly composed that fair blows the previous one out of the water.
Still retaining La Paz brand of traditional British hard rock, “The Dark And The Light” incorporates a welcomed palette of colourful sounds turning the overall result into an even more ‘classic’ output.
Just take as example the vintage rocker “Shadow Of Romance” with added sax and sounding like one of those good time songs Mott the Hoople used to do at the drop of a hat. Or the the bluesy and groovy “Burlesque” where a cleverly arranged brass section in the background mixed with Hammond organs and a melodic guitar riff draws a great tune and balances the album with diversity.
Another interesting track is the melodic rock (not hard) “The Good Old Days” where the highly melodious guitar lines, the pumping bass and steady drums create one of the best tracks of the CD.
Of Course, there’s hot hard rockers in the form of romping opener “Little Black Book Of Songs” (great one), the Rainbow influenced “Don’t Drink With The Devil” (another highlight) and the traditional and cool denim ‘n leather of “Sweet Little Mistreated”.
I love the short instrumental, keyboard-only “De la Luz” combining synths and church-like organs serving as introduction for the epic “Devil in Disguise”, veryyyy British. Great stuff !
Perhaps the more ‘heavy’ (yet melodic) track arrives with “Men of War” showing an impressive La Paz work as a tight band unit, a song that leads into the album’s closing song “The Fallen”, an instrumental featuring a drum salute from a pipe band.
There’s a fun fact on “The Dark And The Light”: fans of the band will know all about guitarist Chic McSherry and Doogie’s superstition of the number 3. Well, they decided on the album not to have a track 3, but the record company have rumbled them and are adding it back in on the next pressing of the CD.
Means that this first lot could end up a collector’s item… some kind of ‘limited edition’ with no Track 3.
With “The Dark And The Light” La Paz have outdone themselves delivering a surprisingly varied, juicy album plenty of great sounds, strong songs and tight playing.
This is pure traditional British hard rock spiced with -at this time in Rock history- a classic rock feeling and musicality. This album proves that Doogie White is a large vocalist able to sing melodius stuff with style and he isn’t just a powerful shouter. Guitarist Chic McSheery plays some cracking solos throughout and the Hammond swirls of Andy Mason are another strong plus point to the recording’s overall sound.
Classic Hard Rock is healthy in Doogie White & La Paz hands.
Long Live Rock ‘n’ Roll !
01. Little Black Book Of Songs
02. Don’t Drink With The Devil
03. there’s no track 3
04. Old Habits Die Hard
05. Burlesque
06. The Good Old Days
07. De la Luz
08. Devil in Disguise
09. Lonely Are The Brave
10. Shadow Of Romance
11. Sweet Little Mistreated
12. Men of War
13. The Fallen
Doogie White – Vocals
Chic McSherry – Guitar
Alex Carmichael – Bass
Andy Mason – Keyboards
Paul McManus – Drums
BUY IT !
mvdb2b.com/s/DoogieWhiteLaPazTheDarkAndTheLight/MASSCD1471DG
