BALTIMOORE - review added 26th May 2009
Album Review: Quick Fix (2009)
For fans of: Rock... and the love child of Glen Hughes and Biff Byford
Baltimoore is a Swedish act that already has ten albums to its name. Former members include Nikolo Kotzev, the mastermind behind the Brazen Abbot project. Baltimoore nowadays, however, is all about vocalist Björn Lodin. He has been there from the start, laying his smooth vocals on the band's chilled and classic rock style.
Listening to some of the songs is like sitting in an exclusive gentlemen's club in the heart of London, smoking a Cohiba cigar and sipping Napoleon Cognac from Lismore Crystal. Örjan Fernkvist's fine Hammond organ playing adds plenty of bite to other numbers and gives the album a bountiful range of sounds. The music isn't what you'd expect from a Swedish band, but there's nowt wrong with a bit of variety!
Completing the line-up is Emanuel Hedberg on guitar, Björn Lundkvist on bass and Robban Bäck on drums. Main man Björn Lodin handled all production and mixing duties.
First track 'I'm All About Me' starts off somewhat disappointingly. The timing sounds out and, to be honest, it's all a bit of a mess. But... by the chorus it starts to gel, the instruments meld into one another and you are left with an enjoyable track. On a few occasions Björn does a scary impression of Biff Byford from Saxon. The track has overtones of the Yorkshire metallers' softer moments, although the excellent organ playing ultimately spoils the illusion.
If the first track was all about Saxon, the next two are definitely about Glen Hughes. Björn has a heavyweight soul/funk vibe going on when he puts his mind to it. The similarity on 'Haze Of Wonder' and 'I Am Who I Am When I Am Alone' is uncanny. On 'Make Good', the mood changes and goes down a bluesy, old Whitesnake road. Björn's voice is still the driving force of the sound, but Emanuel Hedberg's guitar work has an understated elegance to it that contrasts nicely with the throbbing bass work. The chorus of 'Make Good' is a sublime moment and has a really cool half-speed head banging feel to it. It's heavy but controlled to the point of subtlety and will surely be the album's 'grower'.
'How Can You Undo What's Become Undone' may have the longest title of any song ever, but it's a nice stripped back song with a slow emotional bent. It isn't strictly a ballad, but it ain't far off. 'Tell Me Who You Wanna Be Today' has an utterly brilliant verse structure with a sublimely catchy sound, but loses its way just when it should hit new heights. The chorus is annoying disjointed and a real frustration after the verse. It isn't terrible, but if it had been a few percentage points better this song could have been one of my favourites this year.
'Somebody Look At Me' is a fun track that's even more left than leftfield. It's a little bit bonkers but hugely loveable - mostly because of the fact it's mental. We like a song with character, and this track has several of them. 'The Bet' would merely be an okay were it not for one small factor. It has a rock flute in it. Never heard a flute used in a rock song before and I have no idea why not. It sounds sensational and gives the track a whole new dimension. Combined with the Hammond organ and fanciful guitar twiddling, the result is bordering on the incredible. Note to bands out there. More rock flutes please!
Quick Fix is an interesting album by a band that clearly doesn't follow the sheep. There's plenty of uniqueness to Baltimoore's sound. Some of their experimentations don't work, but plenty of them do. Overall, I doubt many people would list this amongst their favourite ever releases, but most will find something to enjoy or be intrigued by. Just about everyone would do well to have a secret copy of this stashed away somewhere... for moments when their mood is just right.
Check out... The rock flute!
Track List:
01. I'm All About Me
02. Haze Of Wonder
03. I Am Who I Am When I Am Alone
04. Make Good
05. How Can You Undo What's Become Undone
06. The Shame Lingers On
07. Tell Me Who You Wanna Be Today
08. Somebody Look At Me
09. Shoot The Dark
10. The Bet
Label: BLP Music
Artist's websites: Baltimoore , MySpace
